Choices of the Heart
by Keara
Summary: This is an AU (alternate universe) No Gundams, no colonies. Just the guys as normal teenage boys, well not normal. Anyway, it has 2+4, 1+3 pairings. Duo is struggling to take care of his sick friend and turns to desperate actions when he hits bottom.
1. Part One

Disclaimers: I don't own anything. Not Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: This is my entry into a 2x4 AU contest. The contest and its details can be found at Shades_of_Color. Here's the URL: (http://www.fanfictiongw.homestead.com/Shades_of_color.html)   
  
More Notes: As I already said, this is a 2x4 AU, although in the beginning it's more like 2+4, since they don't just hop in the sack right after meeting. Other pairings are 1+3, 5+Meiran, and others that I might make up along the way. But these are the important ones. All the guys are normal kids going to the same school. So far not all of them know each other, but that will change as the story goes along.  
  
Warnings: Drug use, violence, foul language, rape (eventually).   
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part One  
  
  
Quatre felt himself being drawn to consciousness and fought it with every fiber of his being. He just wasn't ready to get up just yet. The bed was too warm . . . too comfortable. He didn't want to get up. He rolled over, an attempt to keep awareness away, and was rewarded by a harsh ray of sunlight in his face. He winced and turned away from the offensive light, burying his face in the pillow as he pulled the covers over his head to make it even darker.  
  
"Quatre . . . come on! We have to leave in twenty minutes!" A voice called out, seemingly from miles away. However, for all Quatre knew, the person was standing right next to his bed.  
  
Quatre made some unintelligible answer, something between a grunt and a murmur in the hopes that the voice would go away and let him sleep just a little longer.  
  
"Quatre . . ." The voice persisted. "You won't have time for breakfast."  
  
He tried to answer, wanting to tell the intruder to go away. He just wanted to sleep a bit longer. Ten minutes . . . five minutes . . . anything. Quatre sighed happily, snuggling deeper into the warmth of his blankets, as the voice went away . . . at the sound of footsteps leaving his room.  
  
However, that happiness was short lived and he heard the footsteps return only moments later. "I didn't want to have to do this to you, little bro, but . . ."  
  
Quatre flinched as the blankets were yanked from his body, keeping his eyes shut and hoping he wouldn't be forced out of bed. He just wanted a little more sleep. Was that so wrong? Suddenly, he was torn from sleep, when ice cold water drenched his body.  
  
He bolted straight up in bed, icy cold water dripping from his hair, soaking his body and the sheets underneath him. "GYAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! HEERO!" He yelled at his stepbrother, who was now holding an empty pitcher in his hands.  
  
Heero smirked slightly, an expression that probably wouldn't be noticed by anyone other than Quatre. "Hn! Good thing I'm not my dad . . . he wouldn't have warned you. Get dressed. We leave in ten minutes." He said, then promptly left the room.  
  
Quatre shivered, wondering for the hundredth time why his father had married Heero's mother. Surely it wasn't because she was pleasant company. She had been just as bad, if not worse than Heero. He guessed that being a female soldier made a person tough, but man, she had been so strict. No wonder Heero had turned out the way he had.  
  
Of course, she had been an attractive woman, and at times her kindness toward others showed through her gruff exterior. Quatre had several memories of when he was still mourning his own mother's loss and she had comforted him. She had been a friend to Quatre's mother, although Quatre still didn't know how the two women had become friends. It wasn't until years after his mother's death, and his father's marriage to Heero's mother before Quatre learned to like Setzu Yuy. And they truly hadn't gotten along very well, until she too became ill.   
  
Quatre shook off the thoughts of his stepbrother, and stepmother, not wanting to dwell in the bad memories. He hastily walked into the bathroom. Then he grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself off before returning to his room. Since they had to leave so quickly, there wasn't time for a shower. Who knew what Heero would do to him if they were late for school.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Duo groaned as he buried his face deeper into his pillow. It was way too early to wake up, at least in his honest opinion. However, as much as he wanted to go back to sleep, he knew he couldn't. Even if that alarm clock of his wasn't blaring, he had to get up, if only to make sure his roommate, and best friend, got out of bed.  
  
He reached out blindly, and slammed his hand down on the snooze button of his alarm clock, ceasing that annoying sound. Slowly he rolled over, deciding that it was time to face another day. He forced his eyes open, wincing at the brightness of the sun as it hit his face.  
  
Duo pushed the blankets from his body, muttering about how bright it was, as he struggled to sit up. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and quickly stood, getting a head rush when he moved too fast. But he didn't let a little dizziness stop him, and he walked into the bathroom, grabbing his little travel bag with him as he moved.  
  
He locked the bathroom door behind him. It was just something he had to do. Lord knew that he couldn't get caught doing what he usually did in the bathroom. It would only get him in trouble, maybe even thrown out of the house if his friends found out.  
  
Carefully, he set his bag down on the edge of the sink and opened it. Without looking inside, he pulled out a white, pill bottle. As he popped the cap off, Duo glanced up, his eyes catching a glimpse of his own reflection. Man, did he look awful. His hair was a mess, most of it hanging knotted and unraveled from the braid it was usually in. His skin was a grayish pallor, his eyes were puffy and surrounded by dark bruise-colored circles. He looked so tired, and he felt even more exhausted than he looked, feeling as if any minute he could collapse.  
  
Duo shook his head and poured a couple pills out of the bottle and into his hand. Quickly, not letting himself think about it, he popped the pills into his mouth. Grabbing a small plastic cup from the cup holder by the sink, he filled it with cool water, then lifted the cup to his lips, swallowing the water and the pills. He didn't need the water to take the pills . . . it just made it easier first thing in the morning, if he had something to wash them down with.  
  
He was addicted to the little white pills, the uppers. But then again, he needed them, so he couldn't quit taking them. He had a job, plus school to deal with, and no time for more than a couple hours sleep each night if he was lucky. However, that was the way it had to be. He had to pay his own way in school, had to help out his roommate and the guy's sister. Poor guy was sick, and Duo wouldn't sit by and watch his friend suffer. He just had to help. After all, they were nice enough to take him in off the streets.  
  
A poor orphan like Duo . . . no one else even gave him the time of day. It had ben rare for any of the people passing on the streets to even drop a couple cents his way. Not that he would take it anyway. Duo never accepted charity, it just wasn't something he did. He had gotten enough of charity from those snobs that had shut down the orphanage, forcing him into a foster home he had never wanted to go to in the first place.   
  
He would have been much happier with Sister Helen and Father Maxwell, than in the hell-hole he had been sent to. Weren't there agencies that checked prospective foster parents out to make sure they weren't abusive bastards? Obviously whoever it was had taken the day off when it came to Duo's turn to be placed in a home.  
  
Duo shook his head again, knocking the unpleasant thoughts away. He had gotten out of that place. They couldn't hurt him now. He sniffled, remembering the one pleasant face in that place, the only one that wasn't there anymore. "Solo . . ." He whispered, an errant tear escaping his eye as he remembered his friend.  
  
Someone knocked on the bathroom door, startling Duo and causing him to jump slightly. He almost spilled all the pills out of his bottle. "Duo, you okay in there?" A pleasant voice called out. It was his roommate's sister.  
  
"Yeah . . . I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute." Duo replied, hastily putting the cap back onto the bottle and shoving it back into the bag.  
  
"That's okay, don't rush on my account. Breakfast is ready and waiting for you. Make sure you wake my brother up so he can take his meds. I have to get ready for work."   
  
"No prob." Duo answered, placing his fake grin on his face even though no one was there to see it.  
  
Duo once again reached into his bag, this time pulling out his hairbrush. He unraveled what was left of his braid, and brushed it as quickly as he could. Then he re-braided it and looked at his reflection once again. Well, at least his hair looked better.  
  
He went about with the rest of his bathroom routine, although he did skip the shower because he didn't want to be late for school. As quickly as he could, he returned to his room and got dressed, then tossed his books into his backpack. At least he had gotten all his homework done before he had fallen asleep, that was a good thing.  
  
"Hey, Trowa . . . wake up!" Duo said cheerfully, as he strolled into his roommate's room. Those pills had finally kicked in, and he felt more awake, hopefully looked a little better too.  
  
He stopped short, his smile falling from his face as he saw his roommate. His friend, as usual, was sleeping on several pillows, the head of his bed propped up. Trowa was tossing and turning fitfully in his sleep, obviously caught in some nightmare. Duo rushed to his side, knowing this was not a good thing considering Trowa's heart condition.  
  
"Trowa . . . Wake up, buddy!" Duo said, shaking his friend's sweat-soaked shoulder.  
  
Trowa merely pushed at him weakly with his hands, not waking from sleep. Duo held him down, not wanting to hurt his friend. But he was becoming increasingly worried. Trowa was not well, and if this continued there was a risk to his life. Duo was not ready to lose any more friends.   
  
He held Trowa as gently as possible while keeping a firm grip on him. "Please, wake up . . . please." He whispered, trying to sound soothing.  
  
A weight, causing the bed to move, caught Duo's attention for a brief moment. He looked over, to see that Catherine, Trowa's older sister, was sitting on the other side of the bed, beside her younger brother. She laid her hand against Trowa's cheek. "Come on, little bro. Wake up." She said quietly, although Duo could hear the panic in her voice.  
  
Trowa's eyes snapped open, and he opened his mouth to take in a huge gulp of air. For several long seconds he was unable to breathe properly, and Duo and Catherine remained by his side, fearing the worst. Duo grabbed the glass of water, that was always present on Trowa's bedside table, and held it to his friend's lips, while Catherine held her little brother in a more upright position.  
  
Trowa sipped at the water, then coughed, clutching his chest with one hand. He winced, his body beginning to shiver, even though he was covered in sweat. "Are you okay?" Catherine asked, once Trowa's breathing had returned to almost normal.  
  
He nodded silently in reply.  
  
Catherine leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her brother's temple. "You scared the shit out of me, Trowa." She whispered, pulling away from him and standing up. "You get yourself ready for school if you're up for it today, and breakfast is waiting for you two on the table. I have got to go to work."  
  
"Ok, Cathy." Trowa replied, breathlessly.  
  
Catherine gave him a half-smile and turned to leave the room. She stopped by the door, and glanced back. "You take care of him, Duo." She said, her voice laced with worry.  
  
Duo nodded. He knew that if she could stay she would have. But she really did have to go to work. It was bad enough that she had to drop out of school after their parents had died, but now her younger brother was in desperate need of an operation that they just couldn't afford. This was all wearing her down bit by bit, Duo was sure of it. All she did was worry over Trowa, spending all of her free time, if she had any, doting over her younger brother and fretting over his failing health.  
  
Trowa slowly sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Duo stayed by his side, reaching over and grabbing his pill dispenser, opening the appropriate section to get Trowa's morning medication. He handed the pills, and the glass of water over to Trowa, watching as his friend took his pills. Then Duo checked Trowa's blood pressure, just like he did every morning.  
  
"Need help getting to the bathroom today?" Duo asked, trying to sound pleasant. He knew that some mornings his friend just didn't have enough energy to do much, and often Duo had to help him along.  
  
"Nah, I can make it on my own today." Trowa replied. "Just give me a second."  
  
Duo looked at Trowa, watching as he closed his eyes to take in a few deep breaths. He was worried about his friend. It was obvious that his health was bad, and only getting worse. Soon, even his medication wouldn't be able to help him. And then what would happen? Duo shuddered at the only answer available, not wanting Trowa to die.   
  
And he wasn't going to let that happen. Slowly and surely he was saving his money. Even if it killed him in the process, Duo would work as many hours as he could to pay for that operation for Trowa. He already had quite a bit saved up, hidden someplace safe. Only a little more and he would be able to repay his friends for all the kindness they had shown him.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  
Notes: Just in case you are wondering, Trowa has Aortic Stenosis, a heart valve defect in which abnormal tissue obstructs the blood flow through the valve. I researched the subject thoroughly, but symptoms can appear different in each individual.  



	2. Part Two

Disclaimers: I still don't own anything.  
  
Notes: This is my entry into a 2x4 AU contest. The contest and its details can be found at Shades_of_Color. Here's the URL: (http://www.fanfictiongw.homestead.com/Shades_of_color.html)   
  
More Notes: As I already said, this is a 2x4 AU, although in the beginning it's more like 2+4, since they don't just hop in the sack right after meeting. Other pairings are 1+3, 5+Meiran, and others that I might make up along the way. But these are the important ones. All the guys are normal kids going to the same school. So far not all of them know each other, but that will change as the story goes along.  
  
Warnings: Drug use, violence, foul language, rape (eventually).   
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Two  
  
  
Duo walked along beside his best friend, and roommate, Trowa Barton. Every now and then, he would cast worried glances in his silent friend's direction, hoping he was doing okay. Trowa had a heart condition, even walking to school left him out of breath. He didn't want to rush Trowa, but he also didn't want to be late for school.  
  
As he walked, he let his mind wander, thinking of how he and Trowa had first met. He smiled at the memories, letting them come.  
  
  
*Flashback*  
  
  
Duo had been living on the streets for several months now. He just hadn't been able to stay in that house with those horrible people anymore. That foster home just wasn't for him. He was sick of being afraid to fall asleep, wondering if he would be awakened by someone touching him, or by fists brutally pounding his young body. He shuddered at the memory of his foster parents, his 'father' always hitting him when he got drunk, his 'mother' finding other uses for his body.  
  
He pushed off the thoughts to look around at his 'home'. Just a box in an alley, but it was better than nothing. He wouldn't go back to that house . . . never again. He had scrounged up what little he had and left. All of his belongings were in the duffle bag that also served as his pillow at night.  
  
Well, time for school, he thought, grabbing his bag. He hefted the heavy load onto his shoulder and left. The school was mostly empty so early in the morning, and he had to sneak in since most of the doors remained locked until a certain time. As soon as he entered the school, he went to his locker. He looked in the small mirror that hung on the inside of the door, hoping he looked okay. His hair was a bit disheveled, but otherwise it was fine.   
  
Maybe after work tonight he could get his boss to let him use his shower again. It had been over a week, and Howard did seem willing to help him in whatever way possible. He had even offered to let Duo stay with him. But Duo wouldn't do that. He didn't need to owe Howard anything. Just having that job, which he was still too young for, was enough, and to be paid under the table in cash. It was illegal, and Howard would probably get into a lot of trouble if he was caught, so Duo chose not to ask any more of him.  
  
School went just as it always did, boring and slow. He got his assignments and left quickly, not wanting to take the chance and stay around longer. Teachers were bound to ask questions sooner or later, and he rather not be around for them to catch him.   
  
As he walked home, he started to feel a little dizzy, so he stopped, resting up against the side of a building. He dropped his bag beside him, and slid down to the ground, wrapping his arms around himself as an icy breeze swept over his bare arms. He wished he had a jacket. It was starting to get pretty cold out. Maybe he'd save up some of his money from work and buy one, but if he did that he'd probably have to go without clean clothes for a while. Those laundry machines were not cheap.  
  
He coughed, shuddering as he closed his weary eyes. He was just tired . . . tired of working, tired of going to school, tired of living on the streets. Maybe he should just freeze to death.  
  
"You okay?" A stranger's voice asked.  
  
Duo blinked his eyes open, momentarily unable to focus on the stranger that was looming over him. "I'm fine. Leave me alone." He mumbled, struggling to get himself to his feet. Finally, his eyes focused and he was able to make out the features of the person in front of him.  
  
Duo recognized the guy from school. They were about the same age, around sixteen, and in the same home room class. He was tall, slender but well-built, dressed in a tight pair of jeans and a turtleneck. His deep green eyes showed his concern. Duo shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Trowa, right?" He asked, hoping he had the name correct.  
  
"Yeah . . . Trowa, Trowa Barton. And you are?" He asked.  
  
"Duo Maxwell." He replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get going."   
  
Trowa reached out, grabbing Duo's shoulder. "Wait . . . are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." Duo replied. He turned and took a step away, and almost immediately he fell to his knees. "Maybe not." He mumbled under his breath.  
  
Trowa was beside him quickly, reaching out and catching him before he could fall flat on his face. He laid one of his hands against Duo's forehead. "Jeez, you're burning up." He said, helping Duo to his feet. "Let me help you home, your parents will probably be worried about you."  
  
Hearing those words, Duo pushed the taller boy away from him, staggering backwards a few steps. "No . . . leave me alone." He shuddered, not even sure why he was so scared. It wasn't as if Trowa knew where he had lived. But the very mention of going back to those people, scared Duo.  
  
"But you're sick. You should be home in bed with your parents fussing over you." Trowa replied, slowly reaching out to Duo.  
  
"I don't have parents." He whispered, trying to keep himself upright and away from Trowa.  
  
"Well, then whoever takes care of you will be worried." Trowa said, once again reaching out to help Duo.  
  
"No one takes care of me. I'm on my own and I like it that way." He hissed, pushing Trowa's hands away. He grabbed his bag and turned to leave.  
  
He was able to take two steps before he stumbled, falling into Trowa's arms. "You're coming home with me." Trowa stated. "You need someone to take care of you . . . You can't just live on your own."  
  
Duo made some unintelligible answer, before darkness clouded his vision. When he opened his eyes again, he found that he was lying in a strange bed in a strange house. He sat up quickly, suddenly terrified.  
  
"Easy, kid." A sweet voice said.  
  
Duo snapped his head to the side, shivering at the sight of the woman that was sitting in a chair across the room. He looked down at himself, and saw that he was in a bed. His chest was bare, and he lifted the blankets to see that he was currently only wearing his boxers. Terror gripped his heart, wondering what had happened, if anyone had done anything to him while he was unconscious. Duo grabbed the blankets, pulling them tight around himself as he pushed himself as far back on the bed as he could.  
  
"Calm down. You're safe here." Trowa said as he walked into the room.  
  
Duo looked over at him, concerned when he saw the sweat covering the other boy's face, the way he moved sluggishly, and the gasping of his breath. "You okay?" Duo asked, calming himself only slightly.  
  
"Trowa, you are supposed to be in bed." The girl said, rising to her feet to rush over to Trowa's side.  
  
"I'm fine, Cathy." He gasped, stumbling as he walked.   
  
"Well, come on. At least sit down before you strain yourself too much." The girl replied, grabbing his arm and helping him over to the bed that Duo was sitting on. Duo moved aside, giving the taller boy room as the girl propped a few pillows behind Trowa's head.  
  
"Duo, this is my sister, Catherine." Trowa said, gesturing to the girl.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Duo." She said, only looking at him for a moment before turning her attention back to Trowa. "You know you can't have any strenuous activities. Your heart . . ."   
  
"I know all about my heart, Catherine." He spat out. "I know all about my heart defect, that I can't play sports or do anything strenuous, or else I could have a heart attack." He closed his eyes, struggling to take in a breath.   
  
Duo couldn't help but wince at the bitter tone in Trowa's voice. He turned, slowly trying to slip out of the bed. He didn't belong here. It was obvious that these people had troubles of their own and didn't need him mucking things up further. Before he could get out of the bed, a hand clamped down on his arm.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Trowa asked, his gaze nearly piercing through Duo with its intensity. Obviously seeing Duo's nervousness, Trowa softened his gaze, releasing Duo's arm. "You're sick. You need rest."  
  
"I don't need charity. I can take care of myself fine." Duo replied, not wanting to be pitied. He wrenched his arm free of Trowa and threw the blankets away from himself. He stood, aware that he was only wearing his boxers. "Where are my clothes?" He asked, fighting back the wave of dizziness and nausea that flowed through him. However, his body didn't seem to like moving, and the dizziness won. He stumbled, grasping the edge of a nearby table to keep himself from falling over.  
  
"Oh, I don't think so." Catherine replied, walking around the bed, and pushing Duo back down onto it. "You are staying right here until you are better." She sighed. "And since Trowa here tells me that you have no home, I guess you'll be staying even longer."  
  
"No!" Duo nearly shouted, as Catherine tucked him back into bed. He sighed, deciding it was better to stay there at least until they went to sleep and then sneak out. "I don't need charity from anybody. I'm fine on my own."  
  
"Yes, we can see that." Trowa replied, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  
  
"Well, if you don't want charity, then what do you think about earning your keep by working?" Catherine suggested, sitting on the bed beside Duo.  
  
Duo narrowed his eyes, gazing at her suspiciously. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Once you're healthy again, you can do chores around the house. Keep the place clean. With my jobs, I really don't have much time to keep up with the housework . . . and Trowa really can't do too much. We could always use a hand. Besides, I never did feel right about leaving Trowa alone."  
  
"Catherine, I am not a baby that needs a sitter." Trowa objected. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."  
  
"Then explain why I found you lying unconscious on the floor last week." She shot back, her voice wavering.  
  
Trowa closed his eyes a moment. "So I fainted. It's no big deal."  
  
"It is so a big deal, Trowa. You could have hit your head on something. You could have hurt yourself, or worse."   
  
Trowa didn't reply.  
  
Catherine turned her attention back to Duo. "You see . . . Trowa has a heart problem, and sometimes he has fainting spells. I always worry about him . . . so if you agree to stay, it won't be charity since you'll be helping us a great deal more than we're helping you."  
  
"Fine." Duo agreed, although his heart was skipping. He finally had a house to stay in, a warm bed to sleep in. However, he knew it might not last long. "I might as well stay for now."  
  
  
*End of Flashback*  
  
  
Duo smiled at the memories, glad he had decided to stay with Trowa and Catherine. They had quickly become like family to him. Once again he looked over at Trowa, frowning when he saw that he was breathing heavily.  
  
"Trowa, you okay?" He asked, shifting the weight of both backpacks he carried, his and Trowa's. He never let Trowa carry his own books, except during school when they didn't have classes together.  
  
"I'll be fine, Duo. We're almost to school." Trowa replied.  
  
"We can stop."  
  
"No, but thanks. I don't want us to be late." Trowa said, taking in as deep a breath as he could before coughing.  
  
Luckily, they were close to school. Before they walked into the building, Duo made Trowa sit on the steps, knowing that his friend did need a break. Trowa didn't argue again.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre ran through the halls, cursing at himself. He had to insist on eating breakfast when he knew he was running late, hadn't he? Because he was late, Heero had left the house without him. And now he was late for class. However, he still had time. The late bell hadn't rung yet. He probably had a few seconds left.  
  
Unfortunately, Quatre wasn't watching where he was going, looking instead into his bag to make sure he had his homework. He ran right into someone, sending both of them sprawling to the ground as the door to class swung open and the late bell rang. Quatre heard a number of giggles and laughs from the other students as he struggled to untangle himself from whoever he had run into, feeling a blush creeping across his face.  
  
"Excuse me." Quatre mumbled, noticing for the first time who he had run into.   
  
The other boy had long chestnut hair, woven in a braid. His name was Duo, if he wasn't mistaken. They were in a few classes together. Duo always had seemed like a pleasant person, although the two of them had never actually met in person before.  
  
"No, totally my fault . . . I should have been on the lookout for running blondes." The boy replied, chuckling.  
  
"Are you two going to join the class, or stand there talking." Their teacher, Miss Une said.  
  
Quatre looked down at the floor as he walked into the room. "Sorry, Miss Une." He replied, shyly taking his seat, completely and totally embarrassed. He turned, to see Duo take his seat, although the other youth didn't look the least bit embarrassed by running into each other the way they had.  
  
"Okay class, today we will be dissecting frogs." Miss Une said, earning several groans from the class, Quatre among them. "And for this assignment, I will be pairing you off." She went through the class, separating them into pairs. Upon hearing his own name being called, Quatre looked up. "Quatre . . . since you and Duo seem to have become acquainted, you two will be working together on this assignment."  
  
A number of giggles and snickers filled the room, causing Quatre to once again blush. "Yes, Ma'am." He said, quietly.  
  
Once all the pairs were seated together, Miss Une handed out the frogs. Quatre grimaced as he looked down at his and Duo's. His stomach flipped, and he bit into his bottom lip, fighting back a wave of nausea. He just didn't feel right about cutting open a frog, even if it was already dead.  
  
"I don't think I can do this." He whispered to Duo, hoping he didn't come off sounding like a total wuss.  
  
Duo smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. I'll do all the cutting, and you can just do the paperwork. That way we're both doing an equal share here." He smiled, immediately making Quatre feel slightly better.  
  
"Thanks." Quatre smiled back. However, that smile faded as soon as Duo cut into the frog for the first time. Quatre had to close his eyes to keep from fainting, or worse, from vomiting. Neither were things Quatre wanted to do in the middle of class. He was embarrassed enough as it was.  
  
Duo paused, and looked over at him. "He's dead, Jim!" Duo said, doing a very good impression of Doctor McCoy.  
  
Quatre giggled, covering his mouth to keep Miss Une from hearing. He appreciated Duo's successful attempt to divert his attention from the frog. Now that he felt better, Quatre picked up his pen, and started scribbling down what Duo was doing with the frog. If he just concentrated on work, he would be fine.  
  
Throughout the assignment, Quatre avoided actually looking at the frog, unless it was necessary. He just listened as Duo described his actions or what he saw, and jotted it down on the paper, trying to treat it like any other assignment. Thankfully, the class seemed to pass quickly. When the bell rang, Quatre hurried to stuff his books into his bag, while Duo did the same.   
  
"It was nice working with you, Duo." Quatre said, after he had handed the papers in and stepped out of the classroom.   
  
"Yup, a pleasure." Duo replied, reaching out and energetically shaking Quatre's hand.  
  
Quatre swallowed, then smiled. "Hey, you wanna hang out after school? Do something?"  
  
"Thanks for the offer . . . But I got work after school. Maybe some other time though." Duo replied, stifling a yawn, then smiling.   
  
Then he quickly turned, hastily walking down the hallway without giving Quatre a chance to reply. Quatre just watched him leave, fascinated and curious about the happy young man. There was something about him . . . Quatre couldn't place it, but something felt off. Maybe he wasn't as happy as he seemed to be.   
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	3. Part Three

Disclaimers: I still don't own anything.  
  
Notes: This is my entry into a 2x4 AU contest. The contest and its details can be found at Shades_of_Color. Here's the URL: (http://www.fanfictiongw.homestead.com/Shades_of_color.html)   
  
More Notes: As I already said, this is a 2x4 AU, although in the beginning it's more like 2+4, since they don't just hop in the sack right after meeting. Other pairings are 1+3, 5+Meiran, and others that I might make up along the way. But these are the important ones. All the guys are normal kids going to the same school. So far not all of them know each other, but that will change as the story goes along.  
  
Warnings: Drug use, violence, foul language, rape (eventually).   
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Three  
  
  
Duo looked around the crowded lunchroom, balancing his lunch tray with one hand while he carried both Trowa's and his own backpack with his other arm. "Where do you want to sit?" Duo asked.  
  
"There . . . that table is empty." Trowa said, pointing.  
  
"Great!" Duo replied, cheerfully, as he and Trowa made their way over to the vacant table. He knew that Trowa preferred to sit alone with Duo. He didn't have too many friends, although he was extremely loyal to the ones he had. Most people just didn't take the time to get to know Trowa, and that was a shame. He was a good friend. Duo sighed, shaking his head to clear his mind of those thoughts.  
  
Duo dropped the backpacks by the bench, placing his tray down on the tabletop. He scooted himself back, propping his feet up on the bench as he leaned back against the wall. That was how he always sat when he got a seat by a wall, as rare as that was. If the table started getting crowded and someone needed a seat, Duo would move in an instant. But for as long as he could, he would sit comfortably.  
  
Trowa sat across from him, on the other side of the table, staring down at his tray. He picked up the cheap plastic fork and poked at his lunch. Trowa was on a diet, which he hated, so all of his lunches were made special for him. Duo and Catherine had even had it arranged so that Duo got the same lunch as his friend. They had argued with the principal of the school, with the lunchroom staff, and whoever else felt they needed to be included in the discussion, but in the end they had won. They had convinced the school staff that it would be better for Trowa's emotional well-being, as well as physical state, if he wasn't made to feel left out because almost all of the other students got to eat normally, while he was on a strict diet.  
  
"Now, don't forget to go to the nurse after lunch for your meds." Duo said.  
  
"I know, I know." Trowa sighed. "Jeez, sometimes you sound just like Cathy, Duo."  
  
"Well, we both worry about you, Tro." Duo replied, smiling brightly. Then that smile faltered as he brought up the past. "I don't want a repeat of what happened last month."  
  
It had been over a month since that incident, yet it was still a cause of worry for both Catherine and Duo. Trowa had purposely missed taking his medication for several days, landing him in the hospital. He had almost died, having given up. It took Duo and Catherine a long time to get him to see how wrong what he had done was. If they could have afforded it, he would be in therapy, but they had to do their best. It cost enough just for that hospital stay, and now Catherine was even further in debt than before. Since then they made sure he took his meds when at home, and Duo usually escorted him to the nurse to get his afternoon doses.  
  
"I know . . . I was an idiot. It'll never happen again." He replied, his voice filled with shame, as he lowered his head.  
  
Duo reached across the table, smiling as he grasped one of Trowa's wrists. "Don't worry, buddy. It's in the past."  
  
"I just didn't want to drag out my life when I'm just going to die soon anyway." Trowa mumbled, so low that Duo had barely heard him.  
  
Duo tightened his grasp, causing Trowa to glance up and look into his eyes. "Don't ever say that again. Somehow, we are going to raise up the money for that operation. You just have to keep hoping . . . I won't let you die. I've already lost too many people I care about." Duo let go, smiling as he took his hand back.  
  
Trowa smiled slightly, and he opened his mouth. But before he had the opportunity to reply, an obnoxious voice interrupted him. "Hey, Freak!" Shouted Alex. He was just a bully, a tough kid who preyed on the weaker kids, or the ones that wouldn't defend themselves.   
  
As always, Mueller was right beside his jerk of a friend, "You gonna die soon or what?" He asked, smirking.  
  
"Nah, I bet he's just faking all this stuff about his heart. He's just a lazy little prick who made up all this crap about his health." Alex replied, flicking Trowa's ear repeatedly while he spoke.   
  
Duo frowned as he watched his friend. Trowa was just sitting there, his eyes closed, trying to keep his breath steady and slow. He couldn't get too excited, it was too dangerous to his health, and a fight was definitely out of the question.  
  
Alex stepped back away from Trowa while Mueller leaned over, placing one of his hands flat down on the table. "You know, I heard that your parents were so sick and tired of your ugly face that they went out and killed themselves."  
  
Duo, who had been watching the entire time, his fists clenched tightly, had finally heard enough of their crap. Talking about Trowa's parents like that was just wrong. Especially when they knew he wouldn't fight back. "Back off!" Duo shouted, slamming his palms down on the tabletop, one hand on either side of his tray, as he rose to his feet.  
  
"Stay out of this, Maxwell. This is between us and Barton here." Alex replied, glaring in Duo's direction.  
  
"Yeah, if you're smart, you'll mind your own business." Mueller snapped.  
  
"Fine, you're not worth my time." Duo replied, sitting back down and leaning against the wall once again. Trowa just stared at him in disbelief.  
  
Alex and Mueller just blinked at him, apparently also surprised that Duo would give up so quickly. "Smart move." Alex smiled.  
  
Mueller looked up. "Yeah . . . But if he's so smart, why does he live with this loser?" He asked, smacking Trowa on the back of his head.  
  
By now the four of them had gained the attention of almost everyone in the lunchroom. Many of them were glaring in Alex and Mueller's direction. No one really liked those two guys, and almost everyone enjoyed Duo's company. Duo was sure that if Alex and Mueller made a wrong move, half the lunchroom would swarm them. So Duo chose to take it easy, get them provoked and possibly make the crowd even more sympathetic toward Trowa and himself.  
  
Duo closed his eyes, thrusting his chin up and snubbing those two jerks. "I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed individual."  
  
"Oh PLEASE! That is SO old, Maxwell!" Alex replied.  
  
Duo opened his eyes and looked at him, smiling. "You think I'd waste my good stuff on you two?" He laughed.  
  
"You little . . ." Alex started, then stopped, noticing for the first time just how quiet the lunchroom had gotten. He and Mueller glanced around, their faces paling at the site of all the people that now surrounded them.  
  
"I think you two are outnumbered here." Duo smiled. "Get lost before you get yourselves hurt."  
  
Mueller stepped forward, toward Duo, probably intending to hurt him. But Alex grabbed his arm, stopping him from taking any further steps. The two of them backed away from Trowa, but not before Mueller reached out and shoved Trowa's tray to the side, causing it to fall to the floor in a loud clatter that echoed throughout the silent lunchroom.  
  
"We'll get you later, Maxwell!" Alex said, pointing in Duo's direction as he and his lackey slowly retreated. "You're getting off EASY this time!"  
  
Duo just watched them leave, until he could no longer see them. By the time they were gone, the lunchroom had once again become a mass of several different conversations, making it impossible to listen in on any one of them.  
  
Sighing, Duo looked over to Trowa, frowning when he saw his friend picking up his lunch from the floor. "Did you get to eat any of it?" Duo asked.  
  
"No." Trowa replied quietly. He watched as Trowa sat back down, his slender body trembling slightly. Trowa leaned forward, crossing his arms, and laying them on the table as he rested his head on them.  
  
"Are you okay, Trowa?" Duo questioned, concerned for his friend.   
  
"My parents didn't kill themselves." Trowa said, his voice muffled slightly by his arms.  
  
"I know, Trowa. It was a car accident. You shouldn't pay attention to those jerks. They just want to hurt you." Duo responded, hating to see his friend so shaken up. "Here, you can have my lunch. I wasn't really hungry anyway." He said, pushing his tray across to his friend.  
  
Trowa lifted his face, his eyes red-rimmed. He smiled ever so slightly. "I can't take your lunch, Duo."  
  
"Yes you can. You have to eat." Duo said, shaking his head. "Besides, I have to get some of my homework done now, or I'll never get it finished.  
  
"You sure you aren't hungry?" Trowa asked, wiping a hand across his face to get rid of the few tears that had escaped his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure." Duo smiled. "Guess it's a good thing we have the same lunch."  
  
Trowa smiled, picking up the fork and slowly eating Duo's food. As Duo opened his backpack, he put his hand to his stomach, hoping that Trowa hadn't heard it growling. In truth, Duo was hungry, not to mention tired. But he wasn't about to let his friend go without food.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre frowned as he entered the lunchroom. He was just late for everything today. Late for class, late for lunch, and he had heard while he was standing in line that something had happened in the lunchroom. He had missed out on some kind of a confrontation between some students and Alex and Mueller, the class bullies. Quatre wished he could have seen it, but he hadn't wanted to lose his place in line.  
  
There were barely any seats left. His stepbrother Heero was avoiding him, so he doubted he could find a seat anywhere near him. Then he spotted a familiar face. Perhaps he could sit at his table. Well, there would be no harm in asking anyway.  
  
He placed a smile on his face as he approached the table. "Hello, Duo. Mind if I join you? There don't seem to be many places left to sit." He asked, shifting from foot to foot nervously and hoping that he wasn't fidgeting too much.   
  
"Sure, no problem." Duo replied, quickly pulling two backpacks out of the way. "Quatre, this is Trowa Barton. Trowa, this is Quatre . . . uh . . . Sorry man, but I don't remember your last name."  
  
Quatre took a hand away from his tray and reached over, smiling. "Quatre Raberba Winner." He said, shaking Trowa's hand firmly. "It's nice to meet you."  
  
"A pleasure." Trowa replied, then took his hand away and turned back to his own food.  
  
"Don't mind Trowa. He's not much of a talker." Duo said, as Quatre was sitting.  
  
"Oh, it's no problem. My stepbrother is the same way. If I knew where he was, I would introduce you. But I think he's avoiding me because he's mad that I made us late for school this morning."  
  
"So that's why you were running through the hallway." Duo replied. "I just thought you were being chased by a wolf."  
  
Quatre giggled, covering his mouth with one hand. "No, more like an army drill instructor. Heero's mother was a soldier, and he's a lot like her, unfortunately for me."  
  
"You don't mean Heero Yuy, do you?" Duo gasped, dropping his pencil.  
  
"Yeah, the one and only Heero Yuy is my stepbrother." Quatre sighed.  
  
Duo brushed a hand through his bangs and whistled slowly. "I feel sorry for you. I mean, I have gym class with him, and he is not the most pleasant conversationalist, not to mention he kicks ass at whatever sport he plays and you better NOT get in his way."  
  
Quatre looked down at his food, suddenly not feeling so hungry. "Yeah, he is a jock. Last year he was on the football team, this year it's basketball. At least he won't use me as a practice dummy this year."  
  
Quatre looked up, hearing Trowa snickering, although the slender young man was trying to hide it. Duo however was laughing out loud. "Sorry, Quatre. It's just I got the mental image of him tackling you." Duo said, struggling to control his laughs.  
  
"Well, thanks. He has done that you know, and it is very painful when you are not wearing protective gear." Quatre replied, remembering just such an incident, the last time that he and Heero were late for school. That bruise had lasted for almost a month. He shuddered, thinking that this time he might get a basketball bounced off of his head.  
  
"Sorry. Didn't mean to offend you." Duo replied, sounding as if he truly meant it.  
  
"Don't worry, I wasn't offended." Quatre replied smiling his brightest.  
  
Before Duo could open his mouth to reply, Quatre heard a pair of familiar voices, arguing as usual. Quatre had missed the beginning of the fight, but he listened in on the rest once they brought him into it as they usually did.  
  
" . . . NOT join! I absolutely forbid it!" Wufei nearly shouted, as he and Meiran quickly approached the table. The two of them weren't dating, although they had known each other since they were infants most likely. Their families had always been very close, and it wasn't doubted that their parents hoped they would marry. However, they were just good friends, and nothing more. It just seemed that the two of them argued, more then they agreed on anything.  
  
"You . . . FORBID? Who do you think you are, Chang Wufei? You are not my keeper!"  
  
"Wha?" Duo gasped, apparently confused as to who these people were and what they were arguing about.  
  
"Winner! Tell this pig-headed girl that a woman has no place on a wrestling team!" Wufei demanded, placing his tray of food on the table beside Quatre.  
  
"Quatre . . . tell this OAF of a man that this is the 21st century and I can do as I please!"  
  
"Uhhh . . . Wrestling team?" Duo asked.  
  
Wufei looked over at him. "You! I've seen you! Yes, you're the guy who kept handing in wrinkled homework assignments in history class."  
  
"Ummm . . . my name is Duo, Duo Maxwell."  
  
Wufei bowed slightly. "Wufei Chang, a pleasure to meet you." Then immediately he turned his attention back to Quatre. "Winner . . . You tell her not to do such a crazy thing!"  
  
Quatre held up his hands. "Wufei . . . PLEASE don't get me involved. I'm in no position to say what women can or cannot do."  
  
"Thank you, Quatre." Meiran smiled, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, beside Trowa.   
  
Wufei sighed, glaring at Meiran. "Fine! But don't come crying to me when the guys get a little rough with you."  
  
Meiran merely huffed, then turned to Trowa. "Hi, I'm Meiran Ling." She said, smiling pleasantly, holding out her hand, as if there had not been an argument only seconds ago.  
  
Trowa accepted her hand, shaking it, with a shy smile of his own crossing his features. "Trowa, Trowa Barton." He almost whispered.  
  
"Don't mind Tro." Duo said. "He's just a little shy when it comes to strangers. Not very talkative anyway though."  
  
Trowa merely took his hand away and returned to his food, although Quatre couldn't understand why he was eating what looked suspiciously like a salad. Quatre shook his head, not bothering to think about it. Then he noticed that Duo wasn't eating. "Duo, don't you have a lunch?"  
  
"Nope, not hungry." Duo replied, picking up his pencil and scribbling something down in one of his notebooks. "Just gonna do my homework here while I have the time."  
  
"Why don't you do it at home?" Wufei asked.  
  
"If I had the time, I would. But after school, I have a job to go to. Usually I just crash as soon as I get home." Duo said, never once taking his eyes from the books in front of him.  
  
"Oh." Meiran said.  
  
"You guys better hurry if you want to finish your lunches. Period's almost over." Duo pointed up at the clock, still staring down at the book.  
  
Quatre looked up, his eyes widening when he saw the time. He only had a few minutes left. He hadn't known he was that late for lunch. He turned to his food, just as Wufei and Meiran did the same, concentrating on finishing his food, instead on what Duo was doing.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Once Duo had left Trowa at the nurse's office, he made his way to the gym. Glancing into the gym, he made sure that no one else was in sight before entering. There was no gym class this period. This was when the gym teachers ate their own lunches, so the place was almost always deserted at this time of day. Slowly and quietly he made his way inside, then went right over to the bleachers. He ducked behind them, checking one last time to make sure no one would see him.   
  
"About time you got here!" A snide voice commented.  
  
Duo turned, not surprised to see either Relena or Dorothy standing there. "Like you would have gone anywhere." Duo replied, chuckling. "I know you and your girlfriend here make out right after I leave."  
  
Relena blushed, while Dorothy just looked angry. "Do you have the money, or not?" She asked, holding out her hand expectantly.  
  
"Let me see it first. I don't want to get cheated." Duo said.  
  
Dorothy sighed, then knelt down. She reached into her backpack and dug around for a bit before pulling out a plain white pill bottle. For all intents and purposes, it looked like aspirin, even had a label on it in case a teacher found it. Better hope those teachers didn't look inside though, or else they'd know for sure it wasn't aspirin.  
  
"Where's the money?" Relena demanded, while Dorothy rose to her feet.  
  
Duo reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad of cash. He had counted it before school, had kept it separate from the rest of his money since he knew he'd be using it today. "Here." He said, handing the money to Relena, while he took the bottle from Dorothy at the same time.  
  
"Nice doing business with you." Dorothy smiled, her grin just making Duo shudder.  
  
If it weren't for the fact that he needed those pills to stay awake, he wouldn't be doing this. But he did need them, or else he would just collapse from exhaustion. As he walked away from the two girls, listening to them snicker about something behind his back, Duo popped the cap on the bottle. He lifted it to his lips, then just downed a few, not bothering to count how many he was taking. He was feeling a little rundown already, and he wasn't even done with school for the day. He didn't know how much longer he could go on like this. Something had to give sooner or later, and it would be his own body most likely.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  



	4. Part Four

Disclaimers: I own nothing.  
  
Notes: This isn't a very pleasant part. I torment one of the guys. More of Alex and Mueller being nasty bullies.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Four  
  
  
Duo yawned as the last bell rang. Finally, he thought, school is finally over for the day. He quickly shoved his books into his bag and rose to leave.  
  
"Mr. Maxwell . . . May I have a word with you?" The teacher asked.  
  
Duo gulped, wondering what he could possibly want to talk about. He hoped he wasn't in trouble. "Sure, Mr. Treize." Duo answered, plastering a fake smile on his face as he approached the front of the classroom.  
  
Mr. Treize placed some papers in his briefcase before turning his attention to Duo. "Duo, I know that you find history to be a boring subject . . . something that you have told me on several occasions . . . but if you fall asleep in my class again, I will have to send you to the nurse's office."  
  
"Sorry, sir." Duo said, lowering his head.  
  
"Duo . . . the only reason that I'm talking to you, is because you haven't been looking well for the past few weeks. I honestly don't mind that you sleep in my class, because you do the assignments. And you obviously study when you can, because you are a bit above average." He placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. "I worry about you, Duo. I know about Trowa's health, and that you've taken on a night job to help him out. I know you feel you can handle it, but I think you're taking on way too much. I look at you know and I see a ghost of the hyper boy that came into my classroom at the start of the school year. Please . . . take it easier. Don't worry so much about everything."  
  
Duo nodded, just wanting to run as fast as hell out of there. How could he take it easy, when Trowa was sick? Mr. Treize just didn't understand that he had to help Trowa out, had to save his friend from dying. "Yes, sir." He mumbled as he forced the smile back onto his face. "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Treize . . . I gotta get to work."  
  
Mr. Treize sighed. "Fine, Duo. I'll see you in class tomorrow, and I expect you to try and stay awake."   
  
"Yes, sir." Duo smiled, giving Mr. Treize a mock salute. Then he turned on his heel and quickly left the classroom.  
  
He sighed once he was out of the room, leaning back against the lockers next to the door. He'd have to take more pills before Mr. Treize's class tomorrow. That was the only way to ensure that he'd be able to stay awake.  
  
Duo composed himself, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. He couldn't take it easy yet, not until he made enough money to pay for Trowa's much needed operation. He just had to help his friend. There was no way he could just sit back and watch Trowa die. He could rest later, but not yet. Right now he had too many other things to worry about other than himself.  
  
He slung his bag over one shoulder, and stepped away from the lockers. Duo strolled through the hallway, going to meet Trowa outside. Time to escort his buddy home, then he'd be off to work. Duo sighed, hoping that Howard came up with the rest of that money for him soon. He knew his boss couldn't afford to pay him much, just what extra cash he could scrounge up since Duo wasn't legally employed for him, but Trowa did need that operation.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre shoved open the door and stepped out into the sunshine. He took in a long, deep breath, grateful that the school day was finally over. He had purposely gone out the nearest door to his last class of the day, just so that he would be out of that place as soon as possible. It was a side door, and not too far away he could see the main doors.  
  
He squinted, thinking that perhaps he saw a familiar face. Yes, that was Trowa sitting on the steps in front of the doors. Maybe he was waiting for Duo. Only seconds after that thought coursed though his brain, Quatre saw Duo step outside, gently slapping Trowa on the back as the taller boy stood.  
  
Quatre raised his hand, intending to call out to Duo and Trowa, if only to say goodbye before they left. Before a sound could leave his mouth, someone roughly grabbed his arm and yanked on it hard. He spun around, and was shoved until he hit a wall with his back, his backpack falling off his shoulder and to the ground.  
  
Quatre grunted, trying to take in a large gulp of air since the force of him striking the wall had knocked the air from his lungs. He looked up, wondering who had grabbed him, only to see Alex and Mueller standing in front of him. Quatre blinked, wondering what they wanted with him, and where he was at the moment.  
  
As he looked around, he realized where he was. This was where all the kids went to smoke and not be caught by teachers. It was a small niche in the side of the school building, only visible from the outside if you were right next to it. And at the moment, Alex and Mueller were blocking the only possible escape route. Seeing that, Quatre's heart started pounding in his chest.  
  
"Well, look who it is . . ." Alex sneered, tossing his cigarette butt to the ground. "The pretty boy, rich kid."  
  
Mueller shoved Quatre back, making his head hit the wall hard. "We saw you talking to Duo during lunch. He made a fool of us, and we don't like being made fools of."  
  
"J-Just leave me alone." Quatre stammered.  
  
"I don't think so. Might as well have fun with you." Mueller smiled.  
  
Quatre cringed. He definitely did not like the sound of that. Only moments later, a fist collided with his face, several other strikes quickly following. Meanwhile, Alex and Mueller continued to taunt him.   
  
"Did your mommy have a girl but dress you up as a boy to give your father an heir?" Alex asked, grabbing Quatre's shirt and tearing the fabric away from his chest.  
  
Pain flowed through Quatre's body as he tried unsuccessfully to block the strikes to his face and body. They just kept hitting him, even kicking his legs a few times. Quatre struggled to stay standing, knowing that if they knocked him down, they could hurt him seriously.  
  
Mueller grabbed his chin, forcing Quatre to look him in the eye. "The pretty boy ain't so pretty now!"  
  
Quatre's instincts took over. He lashed out, delivering one punch to Mueller's face. He looked on in horror, panic welling up inside of him as he watched blood drip from Mueller's nose. He would get hurt for this, Quatre was sure of it.  
  
Mueller glared at him, then smirked evilly. "Oh no! I think he broke a nail!" His smile disappeared and he shoved Quatre back again.  
  
Alex grabbed Mueller's shoulder and whispered something into his ear. Quatre could only watch as they discussed something, most likely him. He knew this was probably going to be bad for him. And as much as he wanted to, he just couldn't escape with those two bullies blocking his path.  
  
Alex stepped forward, punching Quatre in the face, splitting his lip open. Quatre could taste the blood in his mouth, but continued to watch Alex, wondering what the other boy had in store for him.  
  
Alex grabbed the tattered remains of his shirt, pulling him forward. "I saw you flirting with that long-haired freak!" Alex spat. "You LIKE guys, dontcha?"  
  
Quatre took in a sharp gasp, terrified beyond belief as one of Alex's hands snaked its way along his body, quickly moving across the exposed skin of his chest and down past his waist. He tried to squirm away, to get away from what Alex was doing. However, he didn't get very far. Alex let go of his shirt, then wrapped his hand around Quatre's throat, tightening his grip until it became difficult for Quatre to breathe.  
  
"Please . . . stop." Quatre gasped.  
  
"But then I wouldn't have any fun." Alex whispered, leaning over to swipe his tongue along Quatre's cheek. He kept his hand around Quatre's throat, while he slid his lips lower, nibbling and suckling on the junction of Quatre's neck and shoulder. His other hand remained busy, unbuckling Quatre's belt and undoing the front of his pants.  
  
Quatre raised his hands, trying one more time to fight the other boy off. He clawed at him, tried to push him away. But he ceased all his struggles, as Alex tightened his grip on his throat, cutting off all air. Quatre dropped his hands to his sides in defeat, clenching them into tight fists. Alex then loosened his grip slightly, never once stopping what he had been doing with his other hand and his mouth.  
  
"No . . . no . . . stop . . . please." Quatre begged, tears beginning to drip from his eyes.  
  
"Oh stop whining . . . you know you're enjoying this!" Mueller sneered.  
  
Quatre shook his head from side to side, clenching his eyes shut as he felt his pants slip down his legs, pooling around his ankles. Alex's hand stroked across his stomach, over his abs, before he slid his hand around, slipping underneath the waistband of Quatre's boxers and caressing his ass a few times before cupping one cheek in a firm and bruising grip.  
  
"Smooth . . . so soft." Alex murmured into Quatre's ear, then lowered his mouth again, this time to toy with one of Quatre's exposed nipples.  
  
Quatre gasped again, his body beginning to tremble violently out of terror as Alex's hand slowly slipped back around to the front of his body. Bile rose up in Quatre's throat, but he swallowed it back, while Alex's hand slipped between his thighs, roughly stroking him.  
  
Once again, Quatre squirmed to get away from Alex's touch, fighting his body's natural reactions to what Alex was doing to him. He gasped, biting back a moan that threatened to escape him. He wouldn't enjoy this, not one bit. He knew it was wrong.  
  
Alex paused, letting his tongue slither into Quatre's ear. "I knew you'd enjoy this, pretty boy. I bet you're loving every minute of this." He whispered.  
  
Quatre shook his head, tears freely falling from his closed eyes. "No . . . no." He mumbled. "Please . . . stop it. Please."  
  
"No way." Alex hissed. Then without warning, he pressed his lips to Quatre's mouth, roughly pushing past his lips with his disgusting tongue before Quatre had a chance to clench his teeth shut. His hand roughly delved between Quatre's legs again, harshly groping and fondling his genitals.  
  
Only moments later, Quatre was vaguely aware that someone was shouting, of a strange grunting sound accompanied by thuds and slaps. He kept his eyes closed, not willing to open them and see Alex's face so close to his own. And then the hand between his legs was gone, the tongue invading his mouth retreated, and the hand gripping his throat disappeared.   
  
Quatre crumbled to the ground, huddling himself into a small ball, keeping his eyes shut out of terror. Alex might still be there. This could all just be some part of his sick, twisted sense of humor. He didn't want to take the risk of opening his eyes to see Alex. What if he was ready to hurt him again, ready to move onto a more painful invasion of his body?  
  
Gentle hands gripped his shoulders, and Quatre shuddered, fear crushing his heart. He couldn't stop it, couldn't control the terror rushing through him. He whimpered, trying to back away from the hands on his shoulders, not wanting to be hurt anymore.  
  
"Quatre . . . please, open your eyes." A familiar voice spoke. It was Heero. He sounded worried. "Look at me."  
  
Quatre took a chance, and lifted his head, opening his eyes to look at who was in front of him. It was Heero. And as worried as Heero's voice had sounded a moment ago, he appeared even more concerned. He winced, apparently seeing the marks on Quatre's face for the first time.  
  
"Heero?" Quatre whispered, confused as to what had happened. Where were Alex and Mueller? Fear clouded his heart once again, and he pushed himself backwards away from Heero, his eyes darting around wildly as he looked for the two bullies.   
  
"Quatre . . . it's okay. Wufei and I took care of those two thugs." Heero said, gently cupping Quatre's face in his hands, forcing him to look into Heero's eyes. "Meiran went to get help."  
  
Quatre sniffled, shifting his gaze away from Heero's eyes. Just beyond Heero, he saw Wufei, standing over the unconscious forms of Alex and Mueller. He shivered when he saw Alex, the memory of how he had touched him returning to his mind. Quatre lashed out, wrapping his arms around Heero frantically, burying his face in his stepbrother's shoulder as sobs began to wrack his small form.  
  
Heero's arms slowly circled him, holding him tenderly. "Sshh . . . it's okay, Quatre."  
  
"He was going to . . . He almost . . ." Quatre gasped, his voice choked and wavering.  
  
Heero just held him tighter, gently stroking Quatre's back with one hand. "It's okay, Quatre. They won't hurt you now." Heero whispered, attempting to be soothing. After a few moments, Heero pulled away from him.  
  
Quatre shivered, sniffling. "Heero?" He whimpered, suddenly feeling that his stepbrother was disgusted with him, that he was going to push him away.  
  
Heero smiled gently, a rare expression on his face. "Let's get your clothes back on. Okay?" He whispered, glancing down at Quatre's body.  
  
Quatre looked down, embarrassment flooding his mind. He let Heero help him to stand, watching as his brother knelt slightly to pull his pants up for him. Quatre would have done it himself, but he just couldn't stop shaking, couldn't stop the tremors coursing throughout his body. He grasped what was left of his shirt, holding it closed as he slid back down to the ground, Heero's arms slipping away from him, the front of his pants still open. He lay on his side and curled up on the ground, sobbing once again.  
  
"What happened here?" A new voice called out.   
  
Quatre opened his eyes, watching as several faculty members stepped into his line of sight. There was Mr. Dorlian, the principal, helping a dazed Mueller to stand up. Mr. Treize was helping Alex to stand. Quatre shivered at the sight of Alex. And Mr. Peacecraft, the gym teacher/wrestling coach, was standing beside Meiran, just watching everything.   
  
Mr. Peacecraft turned his attention away from Alex and Mueller, his eyes landing on Quatre. Quatre shivered under his gaze, fearful of what the older man would think or say. However, Mr. Peacecraft just pushed past the other people and knelt beside Quatre, hesitantly reaching out to turn Quatre's face to him. "Good lord." He gasped. He looked to Heero. "What the hell happened to him?" He demanded. Quatre whimpered at the tone, pulling his face away from Mr. Peacecraft and burying it in his hands only to sob again.  
  
"Wufei, Meiran, and I were on our way home. I glanced over and saw Alex and Mueller. Alex was . . . he was . . ." Heero said, apparently unable to continue.  
  
"They what?" Mr. Dorlian asked. Quatre looked over, seeing that Mr. Dorlian and Mr. Treize were keeping Alex and Mueller from leaving. "What was Alex doing?"  
  
Heero swallowed, pausing before he spoke again. "Alex was assaulting Quatre. He had one of his hands . . ." He paused again, then whispered the last part quietly. "He had one of his hands down the front of Quatre's pants . . . groping him."  
  
Quatre shuddered again, curling himself into a smaller ball, still watching as the others continued to talk. "What?" Mr. Treize shouted, his tone horrified.   
  
"Come along, boys. The two of you are going to my office until the police arrive." Mr. Dorlian said, as he and Mr. Treize pulled Alex and Mueller away.  
  
"I'll take Quatre to the nurse. Sally should look him over. Don't forget to call an ambulance. Quatre should be taken to a hospital just in case his injuries are more serious than they appear." Mr. Peacecraft said. Then he turned to Quatre. "Can you walk?"  
  
Quatre just lay there, not answering for a moment. He uncurled his body, pushing himself up with shaking arms. Apparently, Mr. Peacecraft thought that he was taking too long, since he swept Quatre into his arms, holding him gently. He slowly rose, taking careful steps as he walked, as if afraid that he would hurt Quatre if he jarred him too much. Quatre appreciated the gesture, although his body continued to tremble, fear still lingering in his heart and mind.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Heero followed behind Mr. Peacecraft, Wufei and Meiran on either side of him, as they all walked to the nurse's office. He couldn't believe what had happened to Quatre, and on school grounds no less. Of course the area where Quatre had been attacked was well-known as a dangerous place, nowhere for people like Quatre to be walking alone. The most dangerous students always hung out around there. He wondered what had possessed Quatre to walk that way in the first place.  
  
He fumed as they walked through the halls, wanting to pound Alex for ever touching Quatre. He regretted not being there to protect him. Maybe if he hadn't been so childish because of the fact that Quatre had made them late for school that morning, he would have been walking home with him like he usually did. Quatre wouldn't have been alone in the first place, if Heero wasn't so pigheaded.  
  
Mr. Peacecraft stepped into the nurse's office. He carefully set Quatre down on a raised bed, then stepped back. "You three keep an eye on him, while I go find nurse Sally." Mr. Peacecraft said.  
  
"Yes, sir." Heero replied, stepping over beside his stepbrother. He dropped the backpacks, his and Quatre's to the floor, not really remembering when he had picked up Quatre's bag in the first place.  
  
Quatre just sat there, staring down at his hands. Heero hopped up onto the bed beside Quatre, gently wrapping an arm around the blonde's shoulders, unsure if it was a good idea to touch him or not. Quatre might not want any human contact. However, Heero smiled slightly, as Quatre leaned closer to him, laying his head against Heero's shoulder.  
  
"How could you be so STUPID, Winner?" Wufei asked, the moment that Mr. Peacecraft was out of the room. "Why don't you know how to defend yourself?"  
  
"Wufei . . ." Heero warned, not liking the tone or the words that Wufei was using.  
  
"Of all the lame-brain things!" Wufei continued. "You went out there ALONE! Even the kids failing their classes know better than to go that way ALONE! What were you THINKING?"   
  
"Wufei Chang . . . you had best watch what you are saying." Meiran said, glaring at him.  
  
Again, Wufei ignored the warning to stop. He kept on seething, stepping closer to Quatre as he ranted. "You were just BEGGING for this sort of thing to happen by going that way alone!"  
  
Wufei abruptly stopped as Meiran slapped him, then began yelling at him. "Don't you DARE blame Quatre for this! HE is the victim here! Rather than rant and rave because you're blaming yourself for not being there and putting the blame on someone else's shoulder, you should be thinking of Quatre."  
  
Wufei opened his mouth, but Heero stopped him from saying anything. "Don't even THINK it, Wufei! You're lucky Meiran slapped you. Had it been me, you would be sprawled across the floor unconscious! This was NOT Quatre's fault! Just look at him, look what you've already caused with your rash words."  
  
All eyes turned to Quatre, Heero's included. He watched the young blonde, frowning at the feeling of the shivers running through his small body. Quatre was clutching tightly to Heero's clothes, his face buried against his shoulder as fresh tears spilled from his eyes.  
  
"I can't believe you are so callous, Wufei." Meiran sneered, moving to sit beside Quatre. She ran a hand along his back, obviously trying to comfort her friend.  
  
"I'm sorry, Quatre." Wufei whispered. "I was not thinking clearly when I said those things, and I was totally mistaken. I know it wasn't your fault."  
  
Meiran feigned a gasp. "Quatre . . . did you hear that? The great Chang Wufei admitted that he was wrong about something."  
  
Heero sighed as Quatre didn't look up, not even a hint of a smile crossing his features. This was definitely bad. Quatre and Meiran always found amusement poking fun at Wufei. But not today. He was hurting, and Heero didn't know how to help him.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  



	5. Part Five

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Another part of my fic. More Quatre torment.   
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Five  
  
  
Wufei was guilt-ridden over the harsh words that he had spoken to his friend. He had been wrong, but now it was too late to take it back. He'd hurt Quatre with his blind rage, and now Quatre was suffering all the more for it. He should have been more kind, should have taken his friend's fragile state into consideration before he had started ranting.  
  
He stood there, watching as his friend cried, as Heero and Meiran both tried to comfort him, to soothe his fear away. Wufei looked up at Heero, swallowing back his uncertainty about asking his next question. "Heero . . . would you and Meiran please leave me alone with Quatre?"  
  
"What? No way!" Meiran snapped.  
  
Heero merely shook his head, answering negatively.  
  
Wufei sighed, although he hadn't expected a different reply. "Please, I would like to make an apology to him in private, without Meiran's snide remarks."  
  
"I do not make snide remarks!" Meiran shot back, glaring at him.  
  
"Fine." Heero nodded, removing his arm from around Quatre's body. "But make it quick, Mr. Peacecraft could be back any minute with Nurse Sally."  
  
"Thank you." Wufei replied.  
  
"Heero, you can't be seriously thinking of leaving him alone with Quatre after what he said to him before?" Meiran argued, even as Heero was pulling her out of the room.  
  
Once they were gone, Wufei turned back to Quatre. The blonde was laying down, his legs drawn close to his small body. He trembled, his eyes tightly clenched. Tears trailed along his bruised face, blood staining his lips.  
  
Wufei stepped over to the blonde, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Quatre?" He whispered, not wanting to frighten his friend.  
  
"I'm sorry, Wufei. I now you hate me now." Quatre whimpered, his eyes remaining closed as he continued to tremble.  
  
Wufei shook his head, grasping Quatre's other shoulder, and gently pulling him up to a sitting position. "No . . . what I said earlier was wrong. I should never have yelled at you like that." He paused, smiling as Quatre's eyes opened and focused on his. "I was angry . . . angry because I have failed you as a friend. I should have been there to help you, to protect you. But I wasn't. And for that I must beg your forgiveness."  
  
"No, you didn't fail me. You couldn't have known what would happen." Quatre replied, sniffling, his voice slightly strained.  
  
"True . . . but you could not have known either. I am deeply sorry for saying otherwise." He hesitantly reached out and hugged Quatre, not truly comfortable of the contact himself. He wasn't much for physical shows of affections, but for Quatre he would bear the unsure feelings he had about it. "You are NOT stupid, Quatre. I apologize for my harsh words, and will understand if you choose not to forgive me."  
  
Quatre's trembling arms circled Wufei's body, just barely holding him. "I forgive you." He whispered in a small voice.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Meiran wrenched her arm free of Heero's grasp as they stepped out into the hallway. She couldn't understand why Heero had agreed to leave Quatre alone with that arrogant jerk. All those awful things he had said to Quatre, all those hurtful remarks. She couldn't believe how callous Wufei had been.  
  
She was pulled from her ranting thoughts when she noticed that Heero was no longer standing beside her. She spun, her eyes widening when she saw that Heero was sitting on the floor, his knees drawn against his chest while his head remained buried in his knees.  
  
"Heero?" Meiran asked, wincing when she saw that Heero's shoulders were shaking. She had never seen Heero cry, had never known him to show so much emotion before. His mother had taught him to hide his feelings well.  
  
"I can't believe this happened. Why wasn't I there to help him? If I hadn't been so damned pigheaded about us being late this morning, we all would have been walking home together. This never would have happened if I weren't such a jerk." He mumbled, his face still lowered.  
  
Meiran wouldn't stand there and listen to that. "Yuy . . . quit beating yourself up about it. You won't change what happened. Do something constructive."  
  
Heero lifted his head, looking up at her with a questioning gaze. "Like what?"  
  
"Simple. You know several styles of martial arts like the back of your hand. Teach Quatre some once he's recovered so that this sort of thing doesn't happen again. As much as I hate to say it, there are bastards in the world who will pick on Quatre and many like him simply because he screams 'easy target.'" Meiran replied, hating the fact that what she said was true.  
  
Heero chuckled, wiping at his eyes with the back of one hand. "This why you want to join the wrestling team?"  
  
"EXACTLY! I'm sick of guys treating me like I'm not capable of handling myself." She said, glad that finally someone understood her.  
  
Heero smirked. "Most girls would BEG for that treatment!"  
  
Meiran huffed. "Then most girls are ninnies who have fairy tale lives planned out and think that they're going to marry some rich man who will take care of them." She rolled her eyes. "This is the twenty-first century! There are no more knights on shiny white horses and chivalry is pretty much dead!"  
  
Heero's only reply was to grunt.  
  
Meiran sighed. "Seriously though, Heero. Quit blaming yourself when the people you SHOULD blame are the two creeps who did this. And blame the system for not having them neutered so that they can't do this kind of thing again!"  
  
Heero nodded. "He never accepted my offers to teach him self-defense before . . . Maybe he will now."  
  
Meiran knelt down in front of Heero, placing a hand on his knee. "Just make sure to wait until the right time to ask him. Not now . . . he's much too scared and vulnerable."  
  
Heero nodded again. He opened his mouth, but before he could utter a sound, the two of them heard a loud commotion coming from down the hall.  
  
"What the hell do you mean they got away?" Asked Mr. Peacecraft's voice.  
  
"Just as I said . . ." Came Mr. Treize's more quiet reply. "Mueller got away from Mr. Dorlian and shoved him into me. I lost my grip on Alex. By the time we were able to get up, the two of them were long gone."  
  
"What are we going to tell those kids?" Mr. Peacecraft asked.  
  
"I don't know. But we have to tell them something. Better us than some callous cop." Mr. Treize replied, quickly followed by the sounds of footsteps approaching.  
  
"Oh my God . . ." Heero gasped, rising to his feet. "Quatre is going to freak out over this."  
  
"Come on . . . let's go back inside before they get here." Meiran suggested. "We should try and get Quatre ready for the impact this news will have on him."  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre stared down at his trembling hands, wondering if they would ever stop shaking. Once again, he felt the tears sliding down his cheeks, as the memories of what had just happened to him, forced their way into his mind. Unable to stop them, he just let them fall, trying to block the feel of Alex's hands on his body from his memories.  
  
Something warm slipped into one of his quivering hands. Quatre looked down again, surprised to see a hand clasping his own. He turned, smiling slightly at Wufei who sat beside him, grateful that his friend was there. He didn't want to be alone.  
  
Heero and Meiran walked into the room and Quatre looked away from them. His stepbrother probably hated him now . . . for being so weak, for not being able to defend himself properly. He was happy that Wufei didn't hate him for what had happened, but Heero was different . . . Heero had been raised in a military family, his whole life centered around combat and self-defense.  
  
He started shivering again, but tried to control it. He didn't want to look so weak . . . not in front of Heero. It was bad enough that he had broken down and cried on him. Heero was probably already disgusted with him.  
  
Wufei's hand slipped out of his. Quatre felt tired, not only physically but mentally as well. So he laid down on his side, his legs still dangling over the edge of the bed. He kept his eyes fixed on the wall across from him, afraid to look at his friends or stepbrother . . . afraid of what he'd see in their eyes.  
  
"Quatre?" Heero asked, stepping into his line of sight to block his view of the wall. "Quatre . . . please sit up and look at me."  
  
Quatre did as he was asked, although he had trouble looking at Heero. No matter how much he tried, he was only able to keep eye contact with him for a few short seconds. Then his gaze shifted to look at Heero's shoulders.  
  
Heero sighed. "Quatre . . . Mr. Peacecraft and Mr. Treize might have some bad news for you. But I want you to know . . . the three of us will be here and we won't let anything happen to you."  
  
Panic started spreading through Quatre's body. Bad news? Why did they have bad news and what was it? He opened his mouth, intending to ask what Heero meant, but didn't get the chance since Nurse Sally, Mr. Peacecraft and Mr. Treize chose that moment to walk in.  
  
"I think you three should step outside." Mr. Peacecraft said, gesturing toward Heero, Wufei, and Meiran.  
  
Wufei and Meiran left quietly. But as soon as Heero took a step to leave, the fear overwhelmed Quatre again. He grabbed Heero's arm in a vice-like grip, whimpering in fear at the thought of being left alone with these people . . . even if they were faculty members.  
  
Mr. Peacecraft made a move to step forward, but Nurse Sally held her hand up, motioning for him to stay back. "It's okay . . . Heero can stay. We want to keep Quatre calm, not agitate him further."  
  
Mr. Peacecraft nodded. "I'll go wait outside with Wufei and Meiran." He said.  
  
"Okay, Heero . . . why don't you take a seat next to Quatre?" Nurse Sally suggested, gesturing to a stool next to the bed, that stood almost as tall as the bed.  
  
Heero nodded, prying his arm away from Quatre. Quatre wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling very cold. Sally brushed Quatre's bangs away from his face. He only shuddered at the contact, fighting his fear.  
  
"Quatre . . . it's okay. No one here is going to hurt you." She whispered, her voice strangely soothing to him.  
  
Mr. Treize stepped forward. "Quatre, there's something I have to tell you. I know you're probably not ready to hear this now, but I thought it would be better if you heard it from me instead of some police officer later." He paused, taking in a breath. "Alex and Mueller got away . . . they escaped. But I don't want you to worry, the police are on their way and will find them."  
  
Quatre felt as if his heart had just exploded. He was more terrified now than he had been when Alex was touching him. What if they came back for him, to finish what they had started? What if they killed him to keep him quiet? Quatre couldn't breathe . . . he was so scared. He tightened his hold around his own body, his trembling steadily becoming worse and worse. He could feel the tears streaming down his face, but made no effort to fight them back.  
  
Nurse Sally grabbed his shoulders, firmly but gently. "Quatre . . . lie down, take deep breaths. Nothing is going to happen to you. You're safe here."  
  
Quatre slowly nodded, letting Nurse Sally help him to lie back on the bed. His body continued to shiver even though he made a conscious effort to calm himself, taking in long deep breaths then letting them out slowly.  
  
Nurse Sally smiled down at him, gently laying her hand against his bruised cheek. "I'm sorry there isn't much I can do for you medically. The ambulance is on its way and they'll take you to the hospital where you can get treatment for your injuries. I'm sure the police will have questions for you." She sighed, her smile wavering for only a brief moment. "We've called your father. He's on his way to the hospital now. He'll be there when you get there."  
  
Quatre gasped as a fresh wave of fear washed over him. His father . . . what would Father think of him now? All his life Quatre had been striving to make his father proud of him. Any chance of that happening now was gone. Father would be just as disgusted with him as Heero was.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Duo strolled into Angelo's, a small pizza place that was owned by Howard. The name wasn't his, but as Howard constantly said, "Who would buy pizza from a place named Howard's?"  
  
Duo worked there, although not legally. And at the moment, he was quite happy. He had just dropped Trowa off at home and he had never felt more awake all day. Of course, all the energy he had was due to the fact that he had taken another dose of uppers not too long ago.  
  
He whistled as he walked back to the employees' area, sweat already beginning to bead on his skin because of the proximity of the front counter to the ovens. The tune he whistled wasn't really a song . . . but he just felt like whistling.  
  
"In a good mood?" Hilde asked. She, unlike Duo, was legally employed. Hilde was a nice girl, pleasant, probably why she got great tips when she worked the small dining area.  
  
"Yeah." Duo replied, cheerfully. "Made some new friends today." He smiled, thinking back on his first class of the day and lunch. Quatre seemed like a nice guy, not to mention cute as hell. And Wufei and Meiran were . . . interesting to say the least.  
  
"Okay you two . . . this in no time for socializing." Howard announced, pulling a pizza out of one of the ovens and putting it in a box.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Duo jokingly sighed.  
  
"Hilde, I got a delivery for you." Howard said, handing over the freshly made pizza.  
  
"Aw, why can't Duo do it?"   
  
Duo smirked. "Because I don't have a car and you do."  
  
Hilde stuck her tongue out at Duo before grabbing the box and leaving through the back door. "At least I don't have to walk everywhere." She muttered before leaving.  
  
Duo smiled, then turned to Howard. "So, what do you need me to do, Boss?" He asked, grinning brightly.  
  
"Just watch the counter. There aren't very many customers yet." Howard replied, gesturing out at the almost empty dining room.  
  
Duo nodded, turning around and propping his elbows up on the counter. He then set his chin in his palms, just waiting for someone to come along. It was a weekday, so it was probably going to be slow until around dinnertime, but still, he hoped business picked up soon, or else he'd have a major case of boredom.  
  
Not five minutes later, a group of kids walked in. They caught Duo's attention immediately, since they were all dressed in rags, filthy. Duo knew a street kid when he saw one. They ranged in age from about five years old to around twelve. Since they were all covered in dirt, it was actually pretty difficult to tell how old they were just from looks alone.  
  
The oldest child, a boy no older than twelve, stepped up to the counter. He hefted a plastic bag full of coins up onto the counter, causing the numerous coins inside to clink together loudly. "Can we have a pizza, please?" He asked, politely.   
  
It surprised Duo to have heard a 'please' coming from the boy. Not many kids on the street were so polite. Duo smiled, looking over the fearful faces of the children "Let's see if ya got enough." Duo said, opening the plastic bag and pouring out the coins. He frowned after looking over the coins, sorting through with his hands. It was mostly pennies . . . there couldn't possibly be enough for a pizza. Still, he counted it anyway and just as he had thought, the kids were a few dollars short. "Sorry, kids. You just don't have enough." Duo sighed.  
  
The faces of all the children immediately darkened, one of them even beginning to cry. Duo couldn't bear to see these kids go hungry, not when he remembered what it had been like to starve as a child. He reached into his pocket, shuffling around until he found what he was looking for. "Now you have enough." He replied, putting his last few dollars on the counter. Well, no dinner for himself tonight . . . besides, these kids needed to eat more than he did.  
  
A number of the kids shouted with glee. "Thank you." Many of them said, until one by one all of them had thanked him in one way or another. It was enough of a thanks if one of them just smiled at him.   
  
Duo smiled. "Okay, you also got enough for one topping. You all like pepperoni?"  
  
"Yes!" Several of them cheered, a few only nodding in approval.  
  
"One pepperoni pizza it is then." Duo replied. He turned around, only to see Howard grinning at him. "What?" He asked, innocently.  
  
"You're a big softy, Duo Maxwell." Howard chuckled.  
  
Duo rolled his eyes. "Well, I couldn't let them starve." He whispered back. "Now, why don't you get Otto to fill that order."  
  
"You work for me, Duo, not the other way around." Howard replied, jokingly. "Now, I see we have some other customers. Why don't you go take care of them?"  
  
Duo glanced back at the dining room, noticing that a small group of people had sat at one of the tables. Howard must have shown them to their table while Duo was counting that change. Time to act like a waiter, Duo thought to himself.   
  
"Hi, I'm Duo and I'll be waiting on you today. Would you like any drinks to start?" Duo asked, always keeping a cheerful smile on his face.  
  
Two of the girls sitting at the table giggled and blushed, a normal reaction that Duo neither liked nor hated. Another girl jabbed one of the giggling girls in the ribs, while the three guys they were with just glared at Duo as if they could kill him with the looks they were giving him.  
  
The girls continued to giggle, eventually giving Duo their drink orders. The guys just snapped at him, apparently unhappy about the reaction the girls had to him. It wasn't Duo's fault that he was naturally charismatic.  
  
Duo went about his job, getting the drinks as quickly as he could. As he was setting the drinks down, one of the girls started talking. "Did you hear what happened at the school?"   
  
"Yeah, I was waiting for Terry by the front doors when I heard about it." Another girl replied.  
  
Duo set the last drink down, and was backing away while the conversation continued. "That Winner kid was hurt pretty badly." One of the boys said.  
  
Duo involuntarily gasped, gaining the attention of the group at the table. "Did you say Winner? As in Quatre Winner?" Duo asked, not really caring that policy dictated that he didn't start conversations with the customers.  
  
"Yeah." A dark-haired boy replied. "Alex and Mueller went after him today after school. Did a good number on him from what I've heard."  
  
"I heard he was raped." One of the girls whispered.  
  
"Well, it was his own fault if he was. Shouldn't have been walking that way anyway. What kind of an idiot walks past the 'Hole' anyway? That's where Alex and Mueller, not to mention all those other freaks, hang out and smoke."  
  
Duo backed away from the table. He couldn't believe it. Quatre had been hurt? He had been attacked by Alex and Mueller? But Quatre was so nice, gentle . . . and now he was hurt.   
  
His back hit something and he slid down to the floor, not caring if anyone was watching him. Quatre was his friend. Sure Duo hadn't known him all that long, not even an entire day, but the guy had just left a strong impact on him with his adorable good looks and charming personality.  
  
"Duo? You okay?" A soothing voice asked.  
  
Duo looked up, surprised to see Hilde and Howard standing over him. Hilde must have just gotten back from that delivery.   
  
"Yeah." Duo nodded, although he wasn't sure if he was or not. "Remember me telling you I had made a new friend today?" He asked, forcing back his tears.  
  
"Yeah?" Hilde asked.  
  
"Well, I just found out he's been hurt. He was attacked after school."  
  
"Oh God, Duo. Do you want to go check on him?" Howard asked, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Nah, I'll be fine. Just give me a minute." He looked up at Hilde again. "Would you mind taking over that table? They probably want to order something."  
  
"Sure thing, Duo." Hilde answered, placing a fake smile on her face. She gripped Duo's arm briefly, trying to offer a shred of reassurance. Then she left, taking out her pad of paper and a pen as she stepped over to the table.  
  
Duo leaned back against whatever surface was behind him, probably one of the divider walls. Howard left him for a brief moment then returned, a glass of water in his hand. Duo took it from him, a grateful smile on his face. "Thanks." He whispered, taking a few slow sips.  
  
"You sure you don't want to leave early to check on your friend?" Howard asked.   
  
"No, I'll stay." Duo replied. He wouldn't leave early. He wouldn't feel right about leaving early and having Howard still pay him all that he could, which he knew Howard would do. It just didn't seem right to take Howard's money like that. He should earn his keep. But that didn't mean that he couldn't visit Quatre after work, although it would be a little late. Duo nodded slightly, closing his eyes for a few seconds, deciding that he would visit Quatre as soon as he got off work. He just hoped that Quatre's parents would let him see the blonde.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	6. Part Six

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: No Duo in this part. It's all Quatre angst and suffering really.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Six  
  
  
Quatre impatiently waited. How long until the ambulance got there, he wondered. He couldn't help but fidget, his hands clasping and unclasping repeatedly. However, he wasn't as frightened as he had been before. He just lay on that bed, Heero sitting beside him, Nurse Sally hovering over him offering kind words or soothing phrases. Quatre just wanted to go home, to crawl into bed and just stay there forever.  
  
Only a few minutes later, the unbearable silence in the room was broken. Paramedics entered the room, wheeling along their gurney with them. The faculty members stepped aside, giving them plenty of room.  
  
One of the paramedics set about getting the gurney ready for Quatre to be placed on it, removing the medical kit that had been set on it, tossing the straps over the sides. The other paramedic leaned over Quatre, smiling while he pushed his sunglasses further up on the bridge of his nose. "Hey, kid. Don't worry, we won't hurt you. I'm Abdul and my friend here is Ahmad." He said gesturing to the other paramedic briefly. "We need to look you over. Okay?"  
  
Quatre nodded slightly, trying to fight back the fear that was rising inside of him.  
  
Abdul smiled again. He pulled a penlight out of his shirt pocket and switched it on. Before shining it in Quatre's eyes, he lowered his own sunglasses, so that he peered over the rim and was able to see what he was doing more clearly. While Abdul was looking at his eyes, the other paramedic, Ahmad, was checking his pulse.  
  
"What's your name, kid?" Abdul asked, while slowly looking Quatre over.  
  
"Q-Quatre." He stammered.  
  
"Okay, Quatre . . . Now, you tell me if this hurts." Abdul reached out with his glove-covered hands, gently prodding Quatre's abdomen.   
  
Quatre winced, letting out a whimper of pain as he tried to move away from those hands. Now that his initial adrenaline rush was wearing off, Quatre was becoming aware of how much his body actually hurt.  
  
"Easy there, Quatre." Ahmad said, grasping his shoulders to keep him in place.  
  
However, the contact only made him flinch again, crying out as a lance of pain shot through his right shoulder. Quatre remembered that either Alex or Mueller had yanked hard on that arm to pull him into "the hole." He vaguely hoped that it wasn't a serious injury.  
  
"Sorry, kid." Ahmad apologized, releasing his hold on Quatre's shoulder.  
  
"Okay." Abdul said, smiling once again. "I don't think your injuries are too serious, but let's get you to the hospital anyway." He looked over and nodded to Ahmad.  
  
The paramedics carefully picked him up, gently depositing him on the gurney. They covered him with a thin blanket, then secured him down with the straps. Quatre didn't like being confined, but he stayed quiet, digging his nails into the mattress of the gurney while he took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to remain calm.  
  
He closed his eyes as they wheeled him out of the Nurse's Office and down the halls, just wanting this to get over with. Everything passed quickly, the feeling of being lifted into the ambulance, the slamming of the doors, and the start of the vehicle. He didn't open his eyes until the ambulance was moving.  
  
"Heero?" He gasped, surprised to see his stepbrother beside him.  
  
Heero leaned forward, uncovering Quatre's hand then clasping it with one of his own. "It's okay, Quatre. I insisted on coming with you. Someone has to be here to keep you calm."  
  
Quatre smiled gratefully, although he still feared that Heero hated him. This was just to get him to the hospital, nothing more. Heero would abandon him once they got to the hospital. Quatre closed his eyes for the remainder of the ride, trying to block out the memories, trying to forget the pain.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
A few hours later, Quatre was sitting on a bed in a hospital room. He was dressed only in a flimsy hospital gown, his own clothing taken from him so that they could be tested for evidence. Doctors had poked and prodded him, checking and treating his injuries. They had scraped under his nails for skin samples, taken pictures of his bruises and other injuries, then had left him to sit there alone. Heero had been taken away, to talk with the police, since he was a witness.  
  
Quatre was tired, just plain tired. His body ached horribly from numerous injuries. He had several bruises to his legs, abdomen, and stomach. His one eye was swollen shut, his lip split, his cheeks marred by bruises. There were bruises around his throat from where Alex had choked him. But the most painful bruises were on his pelvis, from how roughly Alex had handled him.  
  
He was covered in bandages, his right arm in a sling. His shoulder was sore, but the doctors had said that the injury wasn't too serious and would heal with rest.   
  
"Quatre?" A voice whispered.  
  
Quatre looked up to the doorway, only to see his father standing there, a small suitcase in his hand. "Father?" Quatre gasped, his voice hoarse, tears beginning to stream along his face as he thought about how much of a disappointment he must be to his father.  
  
Mr. Winner rushed forward, dropping the suitcase as he approached Quatre. Hesitantly, he reached out, embracing his son gently.  
  
Quatre returned the hug eagerly, having received so few from his father in his lifetime. Father wasn't much for hugs. Quatre clutched tightly to his father with his one good arm, burying his face against his shoulder as he sobbed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Father." Quatre choked out, his body shuddering as his throat burned in pain.  
  
Mr. Winner pushed his son away from him, holding him at arm's length. Quatre shivered, unable to look up at his father, fearing what he would see. "You have nothing to apologize for, Quatre."  
  
"But, Father . . . If I hadn't walked that way . . . If I had only listened to Heero when he offered to teach me self-defense . . . If only I weren't so weak . . ." He said, lowering his head as he sniffled. "If I were a stronger person, this wouldn't have happened."  
  
Mr. Winner cupped his son's face in his hands, being careful with the bruises on Quatre's pale cheeks. "That's not true . . . I mean your body may not be physically strong, but that doesn't make you weak. Your strength lies in your heart." He smiled slightly, brushing Quatre's bangs away from his face. "You have the same strength your mother had . . . the same beautiful soul."  
  
Quatre smiled, despite the doubt remaining in his heart. His smile faded, though. "But I was too weak to defend myself." He whispered.  
  
Mr. Winner sighed. "Quatre, I'm going to tell you something. But you have to promise never to tell Heero that I told you. It would bring up far too many memories and pain for him."  
  
Quatre nodded, curious as to what his father had to say. "I promise." He whispered.  
  
"Setzu . . . Heero's mother told me this in strict confidence. But I don't think she would mind me telling you considering the situation." Father replied. "Heero was very young when it happened, no more than six years old. And Heero's mother was still in the military, his father having retired from the service several years prior to their marriage. He was a little older than her . . . but that doesn't really matter at the moment. You agree with me that Setzu was a strong person?"  
  
Quatre nodded, waiting patiently for his father to continue.  
  
"One day, Setzu took Heero out to a park. It was getting dark and they were on their way back to the car when several teenage boys stepped out of the nearby trees. They were drunk and rushed her and Heero. They raped her repeatedly, while Heero was held at gunpoint, and forced to watch what they were doing to her. It left Heero quite traumatized, catatonic for a long time. And after that he was never the same child, at least by Setzu's reasoning." Father said, a solitary tear dripping down his cheek. "So you see, even strong people have their weaknesses. Heero was hers. To prevent those punks from hurting her son, Setzu didn't fight back when they attacked her."  
  
Quatre's mouth dropped open in shock at the news he had just received. Setzu Yuy had been raped? He almost couldn't believe it. But if his father had said it, it must be true. And if someone like Setzu Yuy could be so brutally attacked, then there was no way he could have defended himself. For the first time that day, Quatre didn't blame himself for what had happened to him, for what Alex might have done if Heero and Wufei hadn't interfered.  
  
"I-It wasn't my fault then." Quatre whispered, his voice catching in his sore throat as tears began to fall from his eyes again. "I c-couldn't have stopped Alex."  
  
Mr. Winner wrapped his arms around Quatre again, holding him gently. Tenderly, he stroked his fingers through Quatre's hair, whispering quietly to him. "That's right, Quatre . . . This was not your fault. Never blame yourself for this again."  
  
Quatre just buried his face against his father's chest, letting the tears fall. After a few minutes he was able to calm himself, to reign in his emotions again. He pulled away from his father, wiping the back of his hand across his nose, only to wince as it caused him pain.  
  
"You okay?" Mr. Winner asked.  
  
"Yeah . . . I guess." He replied, quietly.  
  
Mr. Winner stood, bending slightly to retrieve the small suitcase that he had dropped to the floor earlier. "I brought some clothes for you. When Nurse Sally called me and told me what had happened to you, I thought that you might want something else to wear. Now, I'm glad I did since your clothes were taken away and are being tested for evidence. And there's also some mouthwash in here, in case you . . ." His words trailed off, his hands fidgeting before he held the case out for Quatre to take.  
  
"Thank you, Father." Quatre whispered, accepting the suitcase.  
  
He turned, walking over to the door to the small bathroom. He had noticed it earlier, in the time he had spent waiting alone. Once inside, he closed the door, locking it behind himself, although he knew his father wouldn't hurt him. It was just that he was still afraid, knowing that Alex and Mueller were loose out there somewhere, still a threat to him.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Heero walked into the hospital room, surprised to see his stepfather standing there and Quatre nowhere in sight. "Where's Quatre?" He asked.  
  
"He's in the bathroom getting changed." Mr. Winner replied, gesturing to a closed door. There was a long interval of uncomfortable silence before Mr. Winner spoke again. Heero and Mr. Winner had never truly gotten along well. "Do you mind waiting here? I want to see how long it will be before we can take Quatre home, but I don't want to leave him alone."  
  
Heero just nodded.  
  
A few minutes after Mr. Winner left, Quatre stepped out of the bathroom. "Where's Father?" Quatre asked quietly.  
  
Heero noticed the clothes that Quatre was wearing, probably what his father had brought for him. It was just a pair of plain, gray sweat pants, but no shirt. He was carrying the sweatshirt in his left hand, along with a small suitcase.  
  
"He went to find out when we can take you home." Heero said, then took a cautious step toward Quatre. "Do you need help?" He asked, gesturing to the shirt in Quatre's hand.  
  
Quatre looked down. "My shoulder . . . It hurts too much . . . I couldn't . . ." He whispered, appearing very embarrassed.  
  
Heero gently took the suitcase and sweatshirt out of Quatre's hand. He laid the case on the nearby bed, then turned back to look at his stepbrother. He helped Quatre take his sling off, just draping that over one of his own shoulders since Quatre would need that again soon.  
  
"Okay . . . right arm first." Heero said, gently helping Quatre to put on his shirt. Once the shirt was on, Heero helped him put the sling back on.  
  
"Thank you." Quatre said, offering a small smile, but he still didn't look up.  
  
Heero shook his head. He knew why Quatre wouldn't look at him. He had been outside the room and had heard Mr. Winner talking about his mother. It wasn't something that Heero liked remembering, but he was glad that the information had helped Quatre even a little. Heero didn't want Quatre to blame himself for what had happened to him.  
  
"Quatre, I know your father told you about my mother." Heero replied, deciding it would be best to get this out of the way now. He didn't want Quatre to feel pity for him. He wanted Quatre to be able to look him in the eye again.   
  
"I swear . . . I won't tell anyone . . . I promise." Quatre said, rambling fearfully, panic clearly written on his face.  
  
Heero took in a breath, gently grasping Quatre's shoulder. "I . . . I'm glad he told you if it made you feel better about yourself."  
  
"Thank you, Heero." Quatre whispered, slowly stepping closer to Heero. He sniffled slightly, hesitantly laying his head against Heero's shoulder and embracing him with his one good arm. "I'm sorry about what happened to your mother."  
  
"Thank you." Heero replied, returning the embrace gently. "See, you couldn't have stopped Alex and Mueller, anymore than I could have helped my mother back then. I'm just glad I was able to stop Alex before he could . . ." He stopped, unable to continue that sentence.  
  
The door opened, and Mr. Winner walked back in, a strange man beside him. Heero and Quatre pulled away from each other, although Heero kept his arm around Quatre's shoulders. "The doctor says that Quatre can leave any time he wants. However, this detective has a few questions to ask him first." Mr. Winner said.  
  
"Hi, I'm detective . . . Aw hell, you can just call me Auda." He said, offering a kind smile as he extended his had to Quatre.  
  
Quatre slowly accepted the offered hand, although awkwardly since he used his left to shake hands with the detective. "Nice to meet you." Quatre replied, timidly.  
  
Heero watched the man carefully, not trusting his happy exterior. He was either trying to be friendly for Quatre's sake, or he was just an idiot. Heero hoped it was the former and not the latter.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	7. Part Seven

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: No Duo in this part. But there is more Quatre suffering.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Seven  
  
  
"Okay . . . I think that's enough for now." Detective Auda said, flipping his notebook shut. "If I have any more questions, I know where to find you."  
  
"So we can go home now?" Heero asked, glancing over at his stepbrother. Quatre just looked so tired . . . It was obvious that he needed some rest. Talking to this cop for over an hour had just tired him out.  
  
The detective nodded. "Yeah . . . you two are free to leave." He paused a moment, taking a breath before turning to Quatre. "Get some rest, kid. Don't worry, we'll catch those creeps that hurt you."  
  
Quatre nodded, tiredly. Heero stepped closer to him, helping his stepbrother to get down from his seat on the bed. Mr. Winner had left the room sometime during the questioning, so Heero thought they should go find him. "Come on, let's find your father and get out of here." Heero whispered to Quatre, keeping his arm wrapped around the blonde as they left the room.  
  
Heero frowned as they walked down the hallway to the nearest nurse's station, where Heero could see Mr. Winner talking with some doctor about something. Quatre wasn't talking anymore. For a while now, the only reply that detective had gotten from him was either a nod or a shake of his head. Heero was quite worried about him.  
  
Heero watched as the doctor handed a small paper bag to Mr. Winner. The doctor walked away. "What's that?" Heero asked, gesturing to the bag that his stepfather held.  
  
Mr. Winner spun around, his eyes settling on Quatre for a moment before he looked to Heero. "Medication . . . for Quatre." He replied. "Some painkillers, antibiotics . . . and something to help him sleep if he needs it."  
  
Heero nodded. "That detective said that we could take Quatre home now."   
  
"Good, let's go then." Mr. Winner replied, then he led the two boys out of the hospital.  
  
Mr. Winner opened the backdoor for Heero. Heero nodded his thanks and helped Quatre into the backseat. Mr. Winner may be a wealthy man, but he didn't flaunt it by hiring a driver for his car. He felt no need for one as long as he was capable of driving himself. Once Heero and Quatre were both in the backseat, Mr. Winner closed the door and got into the driver's seat, casting a worried glance back at his son before he turned the ignition.  
  
"I'm tired." Quatre whispered, staring down at the floor.  
  
Heero blinked, surprised that Quatre had spoken. He had been so quiet, it was startling to hear him speak once again. However, Heero quickly broke out of his shock. He wrapped his arm around Quatre, pulling him closer. "Why don't you take a nap then? We'll wake you when we get home."' Heero replied.  
  
Quatre only nodded, once again becoming silent. Heero frowned. He did not like it when Quatre was quiet, it was just unnerving.   
  
Quatre laid his head down against Heero's chest and quickly drifted off to sleep. Heero kept his one arm protectively wrapped around his stepbrother, allowing his free hand to wander through the blonde's bangs, brushing them back in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.  
  
A wave of guilt hit him, causing a frown to spread across his features as he looked down at the blonde he so carefully held. Heero felt that he could have done more. He had stopped the rape, but he should have been there, should have protected Quatre like he was supposed to. Wasn't that what strong big brothers were for . . . to protect their siblings from danger? If it was, then Heero had failed, and he couldn't help but hate himself for it.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre awakened as the car jolted to a stop. He winced, covering his aching ribs with his left arm as a wave of pain swept through him. He groaned, slowly opening his eyes.  
  
"You okay?" Heero asked.  
  
Quatre looked up, surprised to see that his stepbrother was holding him. "Yeah . . . I'm okay I guess." Quatre mumbled, still feeling so very tired. He just wanted to crawl into bed and stay there . . . He was just so weary of everything.  
  
"Come on . . . we're home." Heero said, offering a slight smirk.  
  
Quatre nodded, allowing Heero to help him out of the car. Before they had even taken any steps toward the house, Quatre found himself wrapped in a warm yet gentle embrace. "Iria . . ." Quatre whispered, knowing his older half sister anywhere. He vaguely wondered why she wasn't in school, immersed in her studies to be a doctor.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked, pulling away from him slightly, her glistening tears trailing down her cheeks.  
  
Quatre nodded, not feeling up to verbally lying to his sister. He did not feel all right, but he wouldn't let her know that. "What about school?" He asked, hoping that she wasn't jeopardizing her education just for him.  
  
"When I heard you got hurt, I rushed home right away. Guess it's a good thing I stayed in state for school. My professors gave me an extension on some of my work. I can make the rest of it up later. It's not as important as you, little brother." She smiled, once again pulling him into a tender hug.  
  
"Let's go inside." Mr. Winner said.  
  
Iria pulled herself away from Quatre. She and Heero both lent Quatre a hand in walking to the house, each keeping an arm around him as they slowly walked inside. He felt nervous that no one would leave him alone, although he did appreciate their kindness.  
  
A few minutes later, Quatre found himself inside his bedroom. He sat on the bed, not able to bring himself to look up at his family. He stared straight down at the floor, not truly knowing why he felt so nervous at the moment.  
  
"I'm afraid that I can't stay." Mr. Winner sighed, placing Quatre's medicine on the bedside table. "I was in the middle of important negotiations when I got word of Quatre being hurt."  
  
"I understand, Father." Quatre mumbled, keeping his gaze locked on the floor.  
  
"I'll be home in a few hours. You two take care of him while I'm away." Mr. Winner said. Before leaving, he laid his hand against Quatre's head, stroking his long fingers through the blonde's hair briefly, before he turned and left the room.  
  
Quatre took in along breath after the door closed behind his father. Without looking up, he asked, "Can I take a shower? I smell like a hospital." He grimaced, trying to ignore the scent that still lingered on his clothes and body.  
  
Iria laid a hand on his uninjured shoulder. "Yeah, I can help you put those bandages back on later." She smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Quatre replied, rising from his seat on the bed.  
  
"Do you need help?" Heero asked.  
  
Quatre sighed and nodded. He knew that he would have trouble getting his shirt off, just like he had when he was putting it on.  
  
"Come on." Heero said, his voice as calm as ever.  
  
Quatre quietly followed his stepbrother to the bathroom, pausing only once when Heero stopped at a dresser and pulled out a change of clothes for Quatre. Once inside the bathroom, Heero shut the door behind them.  
  
Heero set the change of clothes on the counter by the sink. He slowly and carefully helped Quatre out of the sling and the sweatshirt. Then he gently began removing the bandages on Quatre's upper body.  
  
"Thank you . . . I think I can take it from here." Quatre whispered.  
  
Heero nodded. "Okay. If you need me, just call . . . I'll be waiting outside."  
  
Once Heero was gone, Quatre gathered together what he would need shortly, setting all the necessary items out so that they would be close at hand. Then he stripped off the remainder of his clothes, wincing as it caused him pain. As he stood up straight again, he spotted his reflection in the mirror. He flinched in shock, for the first time seeing what Alex and Mueller had done to him. There were so many bruises . . . He almost hadn't recognized himself.  
  
Tears began to trail along his discolored cheeks at the sight of what Alex and Mueller had done to him. Harsh, ugly bruises covered most of his face, his left eye swollen completely shut. His other eye wasn't much better off, his lips split open in several places, numerous scratches on his bruised cheeks.  
  
Quatre sniffled, raising a trembling hand to his throat. He lightly brushed the tips of his fingers across one of the marks to his neck, whimpering at the memories that sprang to mind. Alex's hand around his throat . . . the air being cut off . . . his throat feeling as if it were being crushed.  
  
He clutched the edge of the sink, lowering his gaze from the mirror as a sob escaped him. Quatre shuddered, forcing back the rest of his tears. He stood there a moment, taking in deep breaths and slowly exhaling in an attempt to calm himself.  
  
When his tears finally subsided, Quatre walked over to the shower. He turned on the water, his hand pausing on the knob for a moment, before he turned it all the way to its hottest setting. It wouldn't do any damage to his skin, not since they had installed that temperature regulator. Still, it would be quite hot, not hot enough to scald, but perhaps uncomfortable.  
  
Quatre stepped into the shower, gasping as the water set all his wounds to burning. He exhaled a shuddered breath, closing the glass shower door behind himself. Then he slowly and carefully cleaned his body and hair, trying not to aggravate his already sore wounds.  
  
Even after he had washed himself, Quatre felt that it wasn't enough. He grabbed the washcloth and began rubbing it vigorously over the inside of his left forearm, ignoring the pain in his right shoulder as he tried to get rid of the feeling of being dirty. Flashes of Alex's face so close to his own invaded his thoughts . . . the feel of Alex's hands on his body making Quatre feel so disgusting . . . filthy. He scrubbed harder, trying to erase the memories.  
  
Soon the soap lather turned pink, darkening to red, but Quatre continued to scrub. Whimpers escaped his throat, pain surged from his shoulder and now the arm that he rubbed the washcloth over. But he didn't stop . . . flashes of memories taunting him to scrub harder . . . urging him to continue. He just wanted to be clean again.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Heero stood against the wall beside the bathroom door, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited. The minutes passed by slowly. He repeatedly glanced at his watch, wondering why Quatre was taking so long. Heero knew that the blonde was hurt, but still, he shouldn't have been taking this long.  
  
He could still hear the sound of the shower running, so he wasn't completely frantic. He was just a little worried about his stepbrother. Then he heard the whimpers, the sobbing, and he knew that he had reason to worry.  
  
"Quatre?" Heero called out, turning to knock on the bathroom door. When he got no reply, he opened the door and stepped into the room, grateful to find that Quatre hadn't locked the door.  
  
Heero hesitated as he stepped further into the room. He didn't really want to invade Quatre's privacy, especially after what had happened to him today. However, the cries he heard from inside the shower spurred him to continue.  
  
He reached out and slid the glass shower door open, gasping in shock at the sight of his stepbrother. Quatre was standing there, his bare body drenched from the shower, holding a washcloth in one hand, while his left forearm bled. The shower diluted the blood, which dripped from his arm in steady, crimson drops.  
  
"Quatre?" Heero asked, although he truly didn't know what to say.   
  
Quatre trembled, then suddenly broke down sobbing, dropping the bloodstained washcloth. He backed himself into a corner, crying as he mumbled. "I'm sorry . . . just so dirty."  
  
Heero reached in and turned off the shower, then he grabbed a nearby towel. He held out his hand. "Come out . . . please?" He whispered, not wanting to cause the blonde any more pain than he was already in.  
  
Slowly, Quatre reached out with his uninjured, trembling hand, taking hold of Heero's, as he hesitantly stepped forward. Once Quatre was out of the shower, Heero wrapped the towel around Quatre's waist, offering him some amount of modesty.  
  
"I-I couldn't help it." Quatre said, fearfully rambling as he continued to cry. "So dirty . . . I just feel filthy. I wanted to get rid of the feel of Alex's hands . . ." He stopped, all the color draining from his face.  
  
Quatre suddenly pushed Heero away from himself. Heero watched, concerned as Quatre rushed over to the toilet and knelt down. He was just in time it seemed. Only seconds after he had lifted the seat, Quatre lurched forward and vomited. A couple more retches and a few dry heaves later, and Quatre laid his forehead against the edge of the toilet, taking in gulps of air as he cried, his tears dripping from his face to the floor, along with the blood from his arm.  
  
Heero stepped over to the sink, getting a glass of water before he walked over and knelt beside Quatre. He laid one hand against the blonde's back, while holding the glass out. "Here." He said, offering the water to his stepbrother.  
  
"Thank you." Quatre replied in a voice that was barely a whisper. He took the glass, then slowly sipped at the water.  
  
"Are you okay?" Heero asked, rubbing his hand along Quatre's wet back.  
  
Quatre lowered his head, closing his eyes as he set the glass on the floor. He coughed, once again beginning to sob. "God . . . Heero . . . I can still feel his hands on me . . . his mouth and tongue. I just feel so disgusting . . . so filthy." He cried.  
  
Heero wrapped his arms around Quatre, pulling the young blonde against his own body. He didn't hold too tightly, not wanting to cause his stepbrother any pain, but he felt that Quatre needed the comfort. "You are not disgusting, Quatre." He replied, keeping his tone soothing. "You are a victim of a crime. There is nothing dirty or wrong with you."  
  
Quatre didn't reply. He just sobbed even harder, his body shaking from the force of his tears.  
  
After a few moments, Quatre's tears subsided. Heero gently pushed Quatre away, offering a kind smile in the hope that it would reassure him. "May I see your arm?" Heero asked.  
  
Quatre nodded, holding his arm out for Heero to look at. "I'm sorry." He whispered.  
  
"Don't apologize . . . You were upset. I understand that. Just, please . . . If you get the urge to do something like this again, talk to me, or Iria . . . Talk to anyone . . . Just don't hurt yourself again. Will you do that?" Heero responded, gently taking hold of Quatre's wrist as he looked at the bloody arm.  
  
"Yeah, okay." Quatre nodded. "I won't do this again."  
  
Heero grimaced as he looked down at Quatre's arm. It wasn't good, but Heero wasn't sure how serious it was . . . whether Quatre would have to go back to the hospital or not.  
  
"Iria?" Heero called out, needing her to look at Quatre's arm.  
  
Only moments later, Iria rushed into the room, panic clearly written on her face. "What? Is something wrong?" She asked, worriedly. Her face immediately paled when she saw Quatre. "Quatre . . . your arm . . ." She gasped, rushing over and kneeling beside Quatre.  
  
Heero sat back and watched as Iria tended to her little brother. She helped Quatre to his feet, then over to the sink. Iria quickly pulled a first-aid kit from under the sink, opening it and hastily removing what she needed. Then she cleaned off his arm, gently wiping off the blood before applying some antibacterial cream and bandaging it.  
  
"You rubbed your skin raw, Quatre . . . roughly enough to break the skin open in several places." She sighed. "But it's not too bad. Please, don't do that again, little brother?"  
  
Quatre had kept his gaze fixed on the floor the entire time. "I won't." He replied.  
  
Iria smiled down at him, gently brushing her fingers through his dripping wet locks. Then she looked over at Heero. "Can you give me a hand? Let's get him dried off and into clean clothes before he gets sick."  
  
Heero nodded. He stood and stepped forward, grabbing a towel as he moved. Carefully, he dried off his stepbrother's body and hair, being gentle around each of his injuries. Once he finished with each area, Iria bandaged any injuries that needed to be bandaged.  
  
However, Heero stopped, not willing to remove the towel from around Quatre's waist to finish drying him. Iria also backed away from him.  
  
"Quatre, can you . . . um . . . finish drying yourself?" Heero asked.  
  
Quatre just nodded.  
  
Iria left the room. "I'll meet you back in his room." She said before walking out.  
  
Heero turned, grabbing the change of clothes that he had gotten for Quatre earlier. It was just a pair of pajamas and boxers, but since Quatre was just going to bed there was no sense in him wearing anything else.  
  
Quatre took the boxers from Heero, slowly pulling them on under the towel that was still wrapped around his waist. Then he removed the towel, letting it drop to the floor. Heero helped him with the rest of his clothes, frowning while Quatre remained silent. Finally, he helped him put his sling back on.  
  
"Let's get you to bed." Heero suggested.  
  
Once again, Quatre only nodded.  
  
Heero sighed, then wrapped an arm around Quatre's shoulders as he led the blonde back to his room. As they stepped into the room, Heero saw Iria standing beside the bed. He couldn't see what she was doing since her back was turned toward him.  
  
Quatre sat on the bed. Heero watched as Iria turned toward the blonde, holding a glass of water in one hand and a pill in the other. "Here." She said, offering them to Quatre.  
  
"What is it?" Quatre asked, taking the pill from her hand.  
  
"I figured that the doctor at the hospital would prescribe some sleeping pills, so I checked the bag and found them." She paused, running her free hand through Quatre's hair. "I really think you do need rest, little brother, and this will help you."  
  
"Okay." Quatre replied. He popped the pill into his mouth, then took the glass of water and lifted it to his lips, taking a swig of the liquid to wash the pill down.  
  
Iria smiled and helped Quatre to lie down. She pulled the blankets up to cover him. Then she looked to Heero. "Heero, could you stay here with him? I'm going to clean up the bathroom."  
  
"Sure." Heero replied. He sat on the bed beside Quatre, while Iria left the room. "You comfortable?" Heero asked.  
  
Quatre nodded.   
  
Heero watched as Quatre's eyes slowly began to slip shut. Heero took hold of his hand, smiling slightly as Quatre returned the hold. Only moments later, Quatre's eyes closed completely, his grip on Heero's hand loosening as he slipped into slumber.  
  
Heero kept his hold on Quatre's hand, brushing his free hand through Quatre's bangs to get the stray strands out of his eyes. He frowned as he looked down at the blonde, only able to hope that Quatre would get better. He hated seeing his stepbrother so quiet, so reserved, afraid. He wanted the Quatre he knew and liked to return, to see him smile again.   
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	8. Part Eight

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Duo finally makes an appearance again. Enjoy.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Eight  
  
  
Duo yawned, feeling so very tired. He sat in one of the empty seats of the restaurant's dining room. Angelo's was closed for the night and Duo was waiting for Howard to pay him.  
  
As he waited, he started picking at the edge of a pizza box that was sitting on the table in front of him. Someone had made a prank order . . . but Duo wasn't about to let a good pizza be wasted. Besides, he hadn't eaten anything all day, so he'd eat it no matter what the toppings were.  
  
"Here you go, Duo." Howard announced, stepping over to Duo, holding a wad of cash in his hand.  
  
Duo grinned and took the money. He stood, shoving the cash into one of his pockets, not bothering to count it. He could always do that later and he knew that Howard wouldn't cheat him.  
  
"Thanks." Duo said, picking up the pizza box.  
  
"You're really going to eat that?" Howard asked, gesturing to the box.  
  
Duo smiled. "Can't go around wasting food." He replied.   
  
Howard nodded. "You need a ride home?"  
  
"No . . . but hey . . . Do you know where a kid named Quatre Winner lives?" Duo asked.  
  
"I thought he was your friend. Shouldn't you already know where he lives?" Howard questioned.  
  
Duo shook his head. "He is my friend . . . but I've only known him for less than a day." Duo replied, thinking back on how he had met the blonde, crashing into him in the hallway, on how he had made Quatre giggle during the biology assignment.  
  
Duo was pulled back from his thoughts when Howard started speaking again. "The Winners live on Cherrywood Avenue." He pulled out a pad and pen, which he always kept in his shirt pocket. Once he finished writing, he tore the page off and handed it to Duo. "We get a lot of orders from there. I think the father works a good deal of the time. Before Hilde started working here, I used to do the deliveries myself. Those two boys seemed like nice young men. I hope your friend is okay."  
  
"Thanks, Howard." Duo said, taking the paper. He turned and walked away, waving back before he walked out the door. "See you tomorrow, Boss."  
  
Only minutes later, Duo stood outside the gates of a large white house. It wasn't big enough to be called a mansion, but it was still a good-sized house. He glanced down at the paper in his hand, checking to make sure that he had the right address. He did.  
  
Duo tried to open the gate and frowned when he found that it was locked. He looked around, his lips curling into a smile at the sight of a tree right next to one of the stone walls. He could use that to get in, so he walked over to it.  
  
Duo jumped, grabbing onto the lowest branch that he could reach. He pulled himself up as much as he could with that one arm, just enough to slide the pizza box onto the top of the wall. He grabbed the branch with his other hand and he easily pulled himself up into the tree. Then he just stepped from the tree branch and onto the wall.  
  
Grabbing his pizza, he hopped over to the other side of the wall and looked up at the house again. There was only one window, he could see, that had a light on inside. He hoped it was Quatre's room. He glanced around again and saw a ladder hidden behind some bushes. Well, that would definitely come in handy.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre tossed and turned in his sleep, lost in the midst of a nightmare. The events that had played out that day, were tormenting him with memories of his attack. However, in his nightmares, the events became twisted, distorted with memories of things that had never actually happened.  
  
The school yard and everything else were gone, replaced by nothing but blackness, a dark void surrounding him completely, although he could still feel the wall behind him, could feel the pavement beneath his feet. There was only Alex and Mueller, and the way that they were hurting him . . . with their words . . . with their actions.   
  
Alex's hands roughly stroked Quatre's body, his tongue invading his mouth. Suddenly, unlike what had actually happened, Mueller was behind Quatre, whispering hurtful words into his ear, telling him how disgusting he was for enjoying what Alex was doing to him. Telling Quatre that he was sick for liking other boys.  
  
Quatre closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, his father was standing behind Alex, just watching. Heero then appeared beside Father, disgust clear in his features, hatred in his eyes. Wufei and Meiran were shaking their heads as they watched, as if they didn't care what was going on. And Duo . . . Duo just turned away, leaving him where he was, whimpering as Alex's hands continued their torment, sending jabs of pain throughout Quatre's groin as he roughly stroked Quatre's length.  
  
Quatre cried out, sitting up in bed rapidly, his heart pounding in his chest as the nightmare slowly faded away from his thoughts. Pain shot throughout his body, every wound and bruise feeling as if they were throbbing. Some things about the nightmare had to be true, he was sure of it. Heero was disgusted with him, he still believed that, no matter how nicely Heero had been treating him these past few hours. When Duo found out . . . he'd be just as disgusted with Quatre as Heero was.   
  
Tears sprang to Quatre's eyes and he roughly wiped them away, causing himself to wince as the action sent pain throughout his bruised face. He reached over and turned on the lamp that was set on his night stand, forced to close his eyes as the brightness stung like needles. Once he was able to open his eyes again, he looked at his clock, frowning when he saw what time it was. It was a little after one in the morning. How would he ever get back to sleep now?  
  
"Quatre? You okay?" Iria asked, slowly opening the door and stepping into the room, wearing a nightgown and a robe, both of which were a pale shade of pink.  
  
"It was just a nightmare." Quatre mumbled, a whimper escaping his throat as more tears fell from his eyes.  
  
Iria was beside him in an instant. She sat on the bed, and gently embraced him, her one hand stroking the back of his head, while the other ran in soothing circles on his back. Quatre threw his one arm around her, grateful that she was there to hold him. After a few moments, Quatre's tears ceased.  
  
Iria pulled away from him slightly, although her arms never left him. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.  
  
Quatre nodded. "I . . . I just had a nightmare, that's all." Quatre replied, wiping a hand over his eyes, a little more gently than he had the last time. He still winced though, as pain radiated across his face.  
  
"Are you in a lot of pain?" Iria asked, brushing her fingers through his hair in a tender show of affection.  
  
Quatre nodded again. To tell the truth, his body felt worse than it had when he had been in the hospital. He was so sore, his ribs aching, his face almost throbbing in pain.  
  
Iria reached over and grabbed a pill bottle, which had been sitting beside a half-full glass of water. "This is your pain medication. Just follow the directions on the label. If you want to take it now, you can . . . but it will make you drowsy."  
  
"I don't want to go to sleep right now." He replied, fearful of that nightmare returning to haunt him once again.  
  
Iria brushed her fingers through his hair, smiling at him slightly as she set the plastic bottle back onto the table once again. "Well, when you do want to go back to sleep, take your medication. It'll help you sleep. I don't want you taking another sleeping pill though."  
  
"Okay." Quatre replied. "C-Can you get my backpack? I have homework to do."  
  
"Quatre, you are in no condition to be going to school tomorrow. There's no need to worry about homework right now." Iria replied, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of his face.  
  
"I know, but I want to get it out of the way. I just need something to do." Quatre answered.  
  
"Well, Heero left it in the car earlier, but I know Father brought it in when he got home from work." Iria replied, as she stood. "I'll go see if I can find it."  
  
"Thank you." Quatre said, watching as Iria walked out of the room.  
  
Only minutes later, she walked back in, carrying Quatre's backpack in one hand. "Here you go." She said, placing it on the bed in front of Quatre. She yawned, covering her mouth with one hand.  
  
"Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll be fine." Quatre smiled slightly, not wanting to deprive his sister of sleep.  
  
Iria smiled in return. "You sure you'll be okay if I leave you alone?"  
  
Quatre nodded. "If I need anything, I'll come to your room, or Heero's, or Father's. You don't have to keep a twenty-four-hour vigil over me."  
  
Iria leaned over and placed a gentle kiss to Quatre's forehead. "Okay, little brother. You know where to find me if you need me." She replied, slowly turning and leaving. She paused at the door, as if she were hesitant to leave. But eventually, she did walk out, silently closing the door behind herself.  
  
Quatre smiled briefly, grateful that she did care about him. Then he opened his backpack and pulled out a notebook and his history text book. He wasn't really tired, so there was no point in going to sleep just yet. Besides, he didn't want to take the chance of that nightmare starting up once he fell asleep again.  
  
A gentle rapping drew his attention and he looked over to his window. He didn't see anything, but of course it was dark outside. His curiosity got the better of him and he carefully climbed out of bed, slowly walking over to the window. It was difficult to open it with one hand, but eventually he was able to.  
  
"I thought she'd never leave." A voice called out.  
  
Quatre jumped back, surprised and not to mention a little frightened. Then he saw Duo's face pop up outside his window, and sighed a little, out of relief. However, then he wondered what Duo was doing there.  
  
"Duo?" He asked, stepping forward again.  
  
"Hey, Quatre. I just thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing." Duo answered, smiling brightly. "Mind if I come in?"  
  
"Not at all. Come in, Duo." Quatre nodded, then used his one good arm to help Duo get in. That's when he noticed the pizza box.   
  
"Let's see, you ordered a pineapple, anchovy pizza with extra jalapenos, right?" Duo grinned, holding up the pizza with one arm.  
  
"Huh?" Quatre asked, slightly confused.  
  
"Pizza, my man . . . the only food, besides cheeseburgers with lettuce, that contains all four of the basic food groups." He paused. "This one was never picked up, so I thought we could share it, if you want to."  
  
Quatre nodded, realizing for the first time that he was quite hungry. He hadn't had any dinner. He had just gone right to bed when he had gotten home, well after a shower anyway. "I'd like that."  
  
Duo smiled again, then quickly plopped down on the floor, placing the pizza down in front of himself. Quatre also sat, only taking it a good deal slower. Everything hurt as he moved, and he unintentionally groaned, but he eventually was sitting. He took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes against the throbbing aches, before he finally opened them again to look at Duo.  
  
Duo looked so concerned, his smile missing from his face. "Are you okay?" Duo asked, reaching out a hand and carefully laying it on one of Quatre's shoulders.  
  
Quatre lowered his head, keeping his gaze focused on the floor, ashamed of his injuries, of what Duo might think of him. "I'll be okay. I'm just a little sore." He answered, meekly.  
  
Duo reached out with his other hand, hooking his fingers under Quatre's chin and gently tipping his head up, forcing him to meet his gaze briefly. Quatre looked away after only a few moments, afraid of what Duo thought of him. He unintentionally started shivering, a single tear forcing its way out of one eye and trailing along his cheek.  
  
"They really messed you up, huh?" Duo whispered, tenderly brushing that tear away with gentle fingers. He took his hand away, then stood, leaving Quatre for only a brief moment. "Here." He said quietly, draping a blanket around Quatre's shoulders.  
  
"Thanks." Quatre said, keeping his attention focused on the pizza box.  
  
Duo sat again. For a moment there was a long silence, but then Duo spoke again. "I-I heard rumors about what happened to you. Some kids came into the pizza place and said you were raped. If you don't wanna talk about it, I'll understand. I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk, I'll be there. Anytime you think you need someone, I'll be glad to come over and cheer you up." He said, obviously rambling.  
  
Quatre appreciated his kindness, feeling himself foolish for thinking that Duo would hate him for what had happened to him. He should have known that Duo wasn't so petty. "I . . . I wasn't raped. Alex and Mueller cornered me, they beat me up." Quatre said, feeling an overwhelming need to explain to Duo. "Alex . . . he . . . he did try to rape me. He was groping me and kissing me. I'm sure that if Heero and Wufei hadn't stopped him he would have done more." He looked away again, ashamed, his tears falling more freely now.  
  
Quatre felt a pair of warm arms circle around him, just barely touching him. Duo was holding him, and he felt glad that his new friend cared so much about him. He let himself cry, burying his face against Duo's shoulder as he let his own arm wrap around Duo's body. Duo whispered soothing words into his ear, repeatedly assuring him that he would be okay, that nothing was his fault. His arms remained around Quatre, gently rubbing across his skin, for some reason never once aggravating his injuries.  
  
After a few moments, Quatre was able to pull himself back together again. "Thanks." He whispered as he pulled himself away from Duo's calming embrace, glad that Duo was there to comfort him. It felt good to have someone who wasn't a family member hold him like that, hush his fears and stroke his back in a consoling gesture.  
  
"No problem, buddy. I want you getting better." Duo replied, grinning once again. "Ready to eat?"  
  
Quatre nodded, carefully wiping away the last of his tears.  
  
Duo flipped open the pizza box. Quatre looked over the toppings with a dubious expression, not sure if he could eat it. Duo hadn't been kidding about the toppings earlier. There were pineapples, anchovies, and jalapenos.  
  
"Yuck!" Duo commented, looking down at the pizza.  
  
Quatre picked off an anchovy. "I tried one of these once." Quatre said, just looking at the anchovy.  
  
"Oh? How was it?" Duo asked. He picked off a pineapple piece and quickly popped it into his mouth. His face immediately twisted into a grimace since the pineapple probably tasted like anchovy. "Gross!"  
  
"That was basically what I said when I tried an anchovy." Quatre commented, dropping the anchovy back onto the pizza. "You know . . . we really can't eat this. Even if we pulled everything off, we would STILL taste the anchovies and jalapenos."  
  
Duo nodded. "True." He said, popping another pineapple into his mouth and making another face at the taste.  
  
"Why are you eating the pineapples if you think they taste gross?" Quatre asked.  
  
Duo shrugged. "Don't know . . . I guess I'm a little hungry. I didn't eat lunch today . . . or dinner." He replied, looking away.  
  
Quatre frowned. "That's not good for you." He struggled to stand, groaning as he moved, letting the blanket fall from around his shoulders. "Come on."  
  
"Where are we going?" Duo asked, rising to his feet.  
  
"To the kitchen. You should eat something you like, not force yourself to eat something gross like that pizza." Quatre commented. "But be quiet. I think everyone else is asleep."  
  
Duo grabbed the pizza box and followed Quatre out of the room. "Might as well get rid of this while we're at it." Duo commented.  
  
Quatre nodded, then led Duo out of the room and downstairs. He stepped quietly, each step he took paining his bruised legs, not to mention causing the ache in his ribs to increase. He had to pause halfway downstairs, sweat beading on his skin as he tightly clutched the railing in his one hand. Everything hurt. He closed his eyes against the pain, taking in several deep breaths and letting them out slowly to try and ease the soreness he felt.  
  
"You okay?" Duo asked, quietly, his hand lightly landing on Quatre's back.  
  
"J-just give me a moment." Quatre replied, trying to stop the shudder from running throughout his body.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Duo replied, just standing there, continuing to run his hand along Quatre's back, probably in an attempt to be of some help.  
  
Quatre sighed, feeling as the pain slowly ebbed away. He loosened his grip on the railing and took a step again, beginning to walk downstairs once more. He was startled when he felt Duo touch his arm, not to mention hurt as pain lanced up his arm. Duo had, unfortunately, touched the part of Quatre's arm that he had rubbed raw in the shower. Quatre hissed in pain, reflexively pulling away from Duo.  
  
"I'm sorry." Duo apologized. "I didn't mean to hurt you." Then suddenly Duo gasped as he pulled his hand away, staring down at his fingers as if in shock.  
  
Quatre looked too, and paled at the sight of a dark liquid staining Duo's hand. The house was dark, and difficult to see, since Quatre hadn't bothered to turn on a light, but Quatre was sure that it was blood, his own blood, that he saw on Duo's hand. He looked down at his own arm, flinching at the sight of blood soaking through the sleeve of his pajamas. "There's a first-aid kit in the kitchen." Quatre said. "Y-you'll help me right?"  
  
Duo smiled, although Quatre was sure that it was faked. "Of course I'll help. You're my friend." Duo replied. He wrapped his arm around Quatre's waist, moving slowly.  
  
"Thank you." Quatre said, allowing Duo to help him down the stairs. He wasn't sure if he could have made it all the way on his own anyway, even after taking that brief rest. He was tired, not to mention incredibly sore.  
  
Even after they had stepped off the last stair, Duo's arm remained around his waist, helping him along. Quatre didn't mind. In fact, the contact was reassuring in a way, making Quatre believe that maybe he wasn't as disgusting as he thought himself to be. Quatre and Duo walked to the kitchen. Quatre flipped on the light as they stepped into the large room, wincing at the sudden brightness.  
  
Duo helped him over to one of the kitchen chairs. "You sit here. I really don't think you are in any condition to be walking around."  
  
Quatre nodded slightly. "Okay. The trash can is over there." He said pointing over to the tall, white can that stood beside the back door. "And the first-aid kit is under the sink."  
  
Duo nodded, smiling brightly as he nearly bounced over to the trash can, depositing the pizza into it. Then he went over to the sink and retrieved the first-aid kit, hastily returning to Quatre's side. He pulled one of the chairs around the table so that he could sit beside Quatre.  
  
Quatre sighed, wishing he could do more, but he had just barely been able to roll up his sleeve, while Duo was rifling through the kit. Even that slight action had left his shoulder aching, and that sling had kept getting in his way, since it left him little room to maneuver his right arm.  
  
"Here, let me." Duo said, gently grasping Quatre's wrist. He carefully removed the old bandage, just placing it onto the kitchen table. He frowned at the sight of the wound on Quatre's arm, but didn't say a word about it.  
  
Quatre didn't like the silence, and felt he had to explain, had to say something. "I-I did that to myself." He whispered, his voice barely audible.  
  
"What?" Duo gasped, snapping his head up to look at Quatre, his face showing how shocked he really was.  
  
"I couldn't help myself. I felt . . . dirty." Quatre lowered his head, ashamed of his earlier actions. What would Duo think of him now? A hand brushed through his hair, and Quatre flinched away from the contact, his body beginning to tremble. "I'm sorry." Quatre whimpered, afraid that Duo would leave him now. He didn't want to be alone.  
  
"Quatre, you have nothing to be sorry about." Duo said, his tone soothing. "Those creeps hurt you, did . . . stuff . . . that made you feel horrible. It's actually a common response to feel dirty, or so I've heard. You just have to remember that you aren't dirty, and go to someone when you need help . . . talk to someone when you get that feeling again."  
  
"I know. Heero basically told me the same thing." Quatre replied, nodding slightly.  
  
Duo smiled, once again brushing his hand through Quatre's hair. "Then I guess you should listen to us." He said.  
  
Quatre looked up. "I won't do it again . . . I promise." Quatre replied, meaning every word of it, just like he had when he had promised the same to Heero and Iria. He would talk to someone if he felt he needed to, at least he hoped he would.  
  
Duo nodded. "Let's take care of that wound, okay?" Duo said, although he didn't wait for a reply. He just cleaned the wound, using some antiseptic and some gauze pads. Then he applied some antibacterial cream and bandaged it, making sure he didn't wrap too tightly or too loose.  
  
"There ya go, buddy." Duo smiled, rolling Quatre's sleeve back down. He then put everything back in the kit and took the used gauze and bandages over to the trash, also putting the kit back where he had gotten it since he was already up.  
  
Quatre felt useless. He didn't like sitting around with nothing to do. He stood, although it took some effort to manage it. He kept his hand on whatever surface available as he walked, not sure if he could stay standing on his own or not. Quatre was starting to feel quite tired.  
  
"I thought I told you to sit down." Duo stated, stepping in front of Quatre and blocking his path.  
  
"You don't know where anything is." Quatre replied. "Besides, I don't want to feel useless."  
  
Duo smiled and stepped aside. "All right. But I don't want you doing too much."  
  
Quatre nodded. He opened the fridge and looked around, knowing that Duo was standing right behind him, peering over his shoulder. "What do you want to eat?" Quatre asked.  
  
"How about sandwiches?" Duo replied, reaching past Quatre and grabbing a jar of mayonnaise. "You get the bread and I'll find everything else."  
  
"Okay." Quatre agreed, leaving Duo at the fridge and stepping over to the breadbox. He pulled out a loaf of sliced bread and set it on the counter. "How many sandwiches do you want?" Quatre asked, opening the plastic around the bread with some amount of difficulty.  
  
"One'll be enough." Duo replied.  
  
"But you said you didn't eat dinner or lunch . . . you've got to be hungry." Quatre replied, knowing how hungry he himself was and he had only missed dinner.  
  
Duo turned and smiled at Quatre, his arms full of lunch meat, condiments, and other items from the fridge. "Okay, two then." He said, carefully hefting everything onto the counter beside Quatre and the bread. "Knives . . . where are the knives?"  
  
"Second drawer on your left." Quatre said, not even looking in Duo's direction. He pulled out six slices of bread, four for Duo and two for himself.   
  
"Okay . . . Now, you go and sit. I can handle the rest of this." Duo said, gently pushing Quatre toward the kitchen table. "I'll ask if I need to know where anything else is."  
  
Quatre didn't reply. He just silently obeyed. He sat, making sure he could see Duo from where he was. "There's milk in the fridge if you want something to drink." He said. "The plates are in the cabinet right above you, and the glasses are in the one directly to the left of that one."  
  
"Gotcha." Duo said, reaching up to those cabinets and pulling out two plates and two glasses. Then he went back to making the sandwiches. "You want mayo or mustard on yours?"   
  
"Both." Quatre replied.   
  
"Turkey good for you?" Duo asked.  
  
Quatre nodded. "Yup. Oh, and American cheese if you got it."  
  
"Got it." Duo said. "Just be a minute."   
  
Duo finished making the sandwiches quickly, then brought the plates over to the table, setting Quatre's down in front of him. Quatre looked down at his sandwich, noticing the lettuce and tomato. Good, it was just how Quatre liked it.  
  
Duo walked back over to the counter, and returned everything to the fridge or putting the used knives into the sink. Once he was done there, he returned to the table and sat, sliding a glass of milk over to Quatre, while he took a sip from his own glass.  
  
Quatre picked up his sandwich. He lifted it, only to have almost half of the insides fall out onto the plate. Quatre sighed, setting the rest of it down.  
  
"Need some help?" Duo asked.  
  
Quatre sighed again, then nodded. "Yeah, I just can't seem to get a good grip on it. If I could use my other hand, I'd be fine."  
  
"Don't worry about it." Duo said, putting Quatre's sandwich back together. "I'll just help you get a better handle on it so you can feed yourself. Okay?"  
  
Quatre nodded, grateful that Duo was being so nice. "Thank you."  
  
Duo carefully took hold Quatre's hand with one of his own, then picked up the sandwich with the other. He moved Quatre's fingers around, making sure that he had a good grip on it, also making sure that all the insides wouldn't fall out as soon as Quatre took a bite. "There ya go." Duo said, smiling brightly as he picked up his own sandwich again.  
  
"Thanks." Quatre replied. Then he lifted the sandwich again, this time able to take a bite out of it. He watched Duo as he ate, just glad that his friend was there.   
  
However, he had to put the sandwich down before he had finished it, unable to take another bite. Oddly enough, he just wasn't that hungry, despite the fact that he hadn't eaten dinner. He set the sandwich down, and reached out for his glass of milk, lifting the glass and taking a long drink of the cool liquid.  
  
Meanwhile, Duo was munching away at his food, already working on his second sandwich, smiling at Quatre around mouthfuls. After he took one particular bite, Quatre snickered, almost spitting out his drink. He swallowed the milk and smiled, noticing a dollop of mayonnaise on the tip of Duo's nose. His smile only grew as Duo looked at him with a bewildered expression. But all too soon, the smile began to hurt his split lips and he winced, covering his mouth with his hand as he whimpered.  
  
"You okay?" Duo asked, dropping his sandwich to the plate.  
  
"Yeah. I guess I shouldn't smile that much with these cuts." Quatre replied. Then he grinned, noticing that the mayo was still there.  
  
"What did you find so funny?" Duo asked.  
  
Quatre snickered again. "You have mayonnaise on your nose." He said, a slight, and unpainful, grin tugging at his lips.  
  
Duo crossed his eyes, looking down his nose. He reached up and wiped the mayo off, then gave Quatre a huge grin. "I'm happy I made you laugh . . . although I wish it hadn't hurt ya."  
  
Before Quatre could reply, a voice from behind him startled him, hissing out in a venomous tone. "Who the hell are you?" Quatre realized with a good deal of fear that it was Heero's voice he had heard.  
  
Heero, dressed only in his navy blue pajamas, stalked past Quatre, and grabbed Duo by the collar, yanking him out of his seat. "Hey, man . . ." Duo replied, trying to pry Heero's hands away from him, without having any success. "I was just visiting my friend."  
  
Quatre stood, knowing that he couldn't let this continue. As Heero drew his arm back, probably getting ready to deliver a punch, Quatre grabbed his arm. "Please, stop this, Heero." Quatre whispered, not wanting to awaken the entire household.  
  
Heero turned, his eyes wide as if this was the first time he had noticed Quatre's presence in the room. "What are you doing down here? You should be in bed." Heero said, his hand still bunched up in Duo's collar.  
  
"I had a nightmare and woke up. Iria talked to me for a bit then left. I was doing my homework and Duo stopped by for a visit. We got hungry and came down for something to eat." Quatre replied, summarizing the events of the night. "Now, will you please let go of my guest?"  
  
Heero looked back at Duo, then released his grip on Duo's clothes. Duo straightened out his garments, smiling slightly in Quatre's direction. Then he returned his attention to Heero. "I know you want to protect him, but do you really think someone out to hurt him would make him a sandwich and converse with him in his own kitchen?"  
  
Heero just glared at Duo, not bothering to answer.   
  
After a few moments of silence, Quatre yawned, unable to stifle it. Apparently, Heero saw the yawn, and he commented. "You really should be in bed, Quatre."  
  
"Yeah . . . I do want you to get better, buddy." Duo grinned. "And don't worry about school assignments . . . I'll be happy to get them for you."  
  
"Thank you, Duo." Quatre replied.  
  
"I'll escort your . . . friend . . . out." Heero said, keeping his gaze focused on Duo. "Then I'll clean up in here."  
  
"Okay, Heero." Quatre nodded. He smiled slightly at Duo. "Thank you for visiting me, Duo. It was very nice of you."  
  
"See ya tomorrow, Quatre." Duo replied.  
  
Quatre turned, and slowly walked out of the room. He carefully walked up the stairs, pausing and turning for a moment to watch as Heero escorted Duo out of the house. Then he continued on his way to his room. However, he paused at his door, for some reason unable to bring himself to go in.   
  
He would be alone again if he went in there. And if he went to sleep, then that nightmare might come back. He started shivering, a sickening feeling beginning to spread throughout his stomach. Quatre just didn't think he could go in there and face being alone.  
  
Quatre turned away from his room, then walked a few more yards down the hallway. He paused outside a door, hesitantly reaching out and turning the knob to his father's bedroom door. He was unsure of himself, thinking that perhaps this was a mistake to attempt. But Quatre just didn't want to be alone. Besides, he didn't want to impose on Heero anymore, and Iria needed sleep and shouldn't have to worry about him.  
  
Quatre slowly opened the door, and stepped into the dark room. He closed the door behind himself and just stood there for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness that surrounded him. Soon, he could make out the furnishings in Father's room, the outlines of various things, including the bed.  
  
Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Quatre started walking again, shuffling his feet as he approached his father's bed. He felt foolish about doing this, but didn't want to be alone. He climbed into the bed, burrowing himself under the covers and he curled closer to his father's body, shivering out of fear of his father's reaction. Quatre hadn't done this in years, not since his own mother had died and he felt the need for comfort.  
  
"Quatre?" Father's deep voice whispered, his warm breath brushing across Quatre's head.  
  
Quatre shuddered, sniffling as he thought that his father would ask him to leave. "I'm sorry . . . I just didn't want to be alone. I-I'll go if you want me to." He whimpered, beginning to maneuver his body away from his father's.  
  
Father curled his arms around Quatre, holding gently while keeping Quatre from getting too far away. "I wouldn't ask you to leave. I should have realized how afraid you'd be." Father replied, raising one hand to brush across Quatre's bruised cheek in a featherlike touch. "Now, go to sleep." He said, gently.  
  
Quatre didn't reply, he just lay his head against his father's chest, allowing himself to quickly slip into unconsciousness. He had been very tired, and now everything was catching up with him. He just hoped that his father's presence would keep that horrible nightmare at bay.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	9. Part Nine

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Duo and Heero talk. Then Duo goes home. That's basically it. Enjoy.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Nine  
  
  
Duo sighed as he was escorted out of the house by Quatre's stepbrother, Heero. He was worried about Quatre, having seen for himself how hurt and scared the blonde was. And the thought that Quatre had hurt himself by causing that wound on his arm was quite unnerving. Duo wanted to pound Alex and Mueller for ever hurting someone as sweet and kind as Quatre.  
  
"Quatre said that you saved him." Duo commented, just trying to get rid of the silence that had fallen between the two of them.  
  
"Yeah . . . I guess," was Heero's quiet reply.  
  
Duo stopped walking, standing on the steps just outside the front door. Then he turned to face Heero. "It's obvious that you need to talk to someone . . . Why not talk to me?"  
  
Heero glared at him. "I don't know you. Why should I tell you anything?"  
  
Duo grinned. "It's better than keeping everything all bottled up inside." Duo paused, seeing that Heero was still glaring at him. "Look, I know that you want to help Quatre. But if you're distracted by your own problems, then you won't be of any help to him. You may only make things worse if you suddenly snap for no apparent reason because your problems get to be too much for you to handle."  
  
"Why do you care?" Heero asked.  
  
"Quatre is my friend and I'll do anything it takes to see him healthy again. He's emotionally fragile . . . I'd prefer to see him smiling and happy rather than broken down crying or shivering out of fear of how someone will react to something he says." Duo answered, his smile having disappeared from his face. "I've lost enough friends . . . too many. If Quatre doesn't get better then I'll lose him too. If not by death then because his spirit was destroyed. It would be a terrible shame to lose someone as kind as Quatre. He deserves to be happy again."  
  
Heero nodded. "Is that why you broke in?"  
  
Duo smiled again. "I didn't exactly break in. I just hopped over your wall and climbed up to Quatre's window. He let me in. But yes . . . I did visit to see how hurt he was. And I was heartbroken to see how scared he is. He's nothing like the giggling young man I met this morning."  
  
"You met him this morning?" Heero asked, sounding surprised. "You mean to tell me that you've only known him a day and you're this concerned about him?"  
  
"Yeah . . ." Duo smiled. "You're got to admit, he does leave a lasting impression. He's a great guy."  
  
Heero nodded. "Yeah . . . he is." He replied, bowing his head.  
  
Duo grew concerned. He laid a hand on Heero's shoulder. "You sure you don't want to talk about your problems?" He asked.  
  
Heero sighed, raising his gaze to stare deep into Duo's eyes, as if looking for deceit. "I guess. If I don't, then Quatre will only suffer for it. But I'm only doing this for him. I don't consider you a friend. And if you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, I will make your life a living hell." He glared, his intense gaze portraying just how serious he was.  
  
"I understand completely." Duo replied. He sat on the front steps, motioning for Heero to do the same.  
  
Heero sat, but for a few moments stayed silent. It was obvious that he wasn't exactly sure what to say, or how to start this conversation. However, he did talk eventually. "It's my fault." Heero whispered.  
  
Duo shook his head. "I don't believe that." Duo replied.  
  
"But it's true." Heero insisted. "If I hadn't been a jerk about him making us late for school, we all would have been walking home together."  
  
"You're not the only one who can blame himself." Duo said. "I could just as easily do the same."  
  
"What do you mean?" Heero asked.  
  
"Well, I had a little run in with Alex and Mueller at lunch today. If they stuck around somewhere, then they probably saw Quatre joining me for lunch. For all I know, this was all just some way for them to get back at me for making them look like fools." Duo said. "But I don't blame myself, not when I know that it won't do any good. It's not like I can go back and change things . . . and neither can you."  
  
"I know . . . Meiran basically told me the same thing earlier. I just can't help but think I could have done more. I stopped the . . . the rape . . . but he was still hurt. I just feel helpless." Heero replied.  
  
"I understand." Duo said, laying his hand against Heero's back. "But I assure you that you are helping him. Just be there for him, let him cry on your shoulder, comfort him, but don't let him get too dependent on. Don't let him lock himself away from the world. Let him do some things on his own. The last thing he needs is to be smothered by you with your worry or fears. Don't pamper him . . . Just help him get back to his normal self."  
  
Heero nodded. "Okay . . . I'll do that." He replied, rising to his feet.  
  
Duo also stood, yawning. "I guess I'd better get going. We do have school in the morning."  
  
"Yes." Heero replied. "And the next time you visit . . . ring the doorbell." He led Duo over to the gate and opened it for him.  
  
Duo chuckled. "Sure thing, Heero." He waved before turning and leaving, heading once again for home.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
As soon as Duo stepped into the house, he knew that he was in trouble. Both Catherine and Trowa were sitting on the couch, staring at him.  
  
"What's up?" Duo asked, smiling as he closed the front door.  
  
"Where have you been?" Catherine asked, standing. She walked over to him and grabbed his arm.  
  
Duo flinched and pulled away, the rough contact bringing memories to his mind. He stepped back, inadvertently starting to shiver. "I-I'm sorry." He whispered reflexively, bowing his head as he backed himself against a wall. Flashbacks fluttered through his mind . . . the beatings . . . the way he had lived in fear of his life.  
  
"Oh, Duo . . . no, I'm so sorry." Catherine said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Duo's body. "I should have remembered to keep my temper under control."  
  
Duo returned the embrace. "You were waiting up for me?" Duo asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah." Trowa said, rising from his seat and stepping over. "You are pretty late tonight."  
  
"I know . . . I guess I should have called, huh?" Duo sighed, pulling himself away from Catherine's warm embrace. "I just had to visit a sick friend."  
  
"Who?" Catherine asked. "And at this late hour?"  
  
Duo turned to Trowa. "You remember Quatre . . . the blonde that joined us for lunch today?"  
  
"Yeah." Trowa nodded. "He seemed nice. Did something happen to him?"  
  
"Alex and Mueller . . . they beat him . . . tried to rape him." Duo said, his memories returning to how hurt and frightened Quatre was.  
  
Trowa visibly paled. He stumbled back and collapsed bonelessly into a nearby chair. "Oh, God . . ." He gasped.  
  
Catherine laid a hand on Duo's shoulder, gaining his attention. "Is he okay?" She asked.  
  
Duo shook his head. "No . . . I don't think so. He's a mess . . . beaten and bruised . . . And he's so scared." He took in a deep breath. "I'm gonna call Howard tomorrow, tell him I can't come in. I'm going to visit Quatre again. Maybe I'll be of some help."  
  
"I'm sure you will." Catherine reassured him.  
  
Duo smiled, then looked at Trowa. He grew concerned, noticing that Trowa didn't look all that well. "Tro? You okay?" Duo asked, quickly stepping past Catherine to kneel before his ill friend.  
  
"I just can't believe it." Trowa muttered, short of breath. "I mean, I knew Alex and Mueller were jerks, but I never thought that they would try to rape someone . . ." He trailed off, apparently unable to continue.  
  
"Trowa, just calm down." Duo said, worrying for his friend's health.  
  
Trowa nodded, forcing himself to take a few deep breaths. After a moment, he spoke again. "I-I'm tired. Can we just go to sleep now?" Trowa asked, closing his eyes briefly.  
  
Duo feigned a smile. "Yeah . . . we do have school in the morning." Duo said, helping Trowa up. To be honest, Duo was exhausted. But he wanted to be sure that Trowa was comfortable before he went to sleep himself.  
  
He wrapped an arm around Trowa's waist, helping him to walk to his room. Catherine followed behind them, switching off the lights as they left the living room. "Goodnight, guys." She said, before slipping into her own room, leaving the hall light on for Duo.  
  
"Goodnight." Both Duo and Trowa replied.  
  
As they stepped into Trowa's bedroom, Duo flicked on the light, then helped Trowa further into the room. Trowa flopped down on his bed, just sitting there slightly hunched over.  
  
Duo was concerned. "Trowa?" He asked, watching as a single tear fell from Trowa's eye.  
  
"They were harassing me today. What if they had gone after me instead of Quatre?" Trowa sniffled, never once looking up. "Maybe that blonde wouldn't have been hurt. It wouldn't have mattered it if was me . . ."  
  
Duo knelt down and roughly grasped Trowa's cheeks, cupping his face in his hands. "Don't you dare start talking like that!" Duo seethed, hoping to stop Trowa from wondering about things like that. "Yes, it's a shame that Quatre got hurt . . . a terrible shame. But it would be just as bad if it had been you. God, Trowa . . . you're my best friend."  
  
"You really care, huh?" Trowa asked, a hint of a smile on his face.  
  
"Of course." Duo replied, smiling in return as he took his hands away from Trowa's face, brushing those bangs back so that he could catch a glimpse of both of Trowa's eyes for a brief moment. "Now, let's get you ready for bed."  
  
Trowa nodded. "Okay." He said, grabbing the hem of his shirt. However, he only got it halfway off before he dropped his hands, sighing tiredly.  
  
"Need some help, buddy?" Duo asked.  
  
"Yeah . . . I'm just tired I guess." Trowa replied.  
  
Duo shook his head, reaching down to untie Trowa's shoes. "You know, you really shouldn't have waited up for me." He slipped Trowa's shoes off, then pulled off his socks.  
  
"I couldn't go to sleep when I didn't know where you were." Trowa said. "We were just about ready to start driving around looking for you."  
  
Duo stood. "Sorry . . . I know I should have called." He said, grabbing Trowa's shirt.  
  
Trowa lifted his arms, making it easier for Duo to pull the shirt off. He waited until Duo had pulled it from him, before he spoke. "It's okay. You're home now, and that's all that matters."  
  
Duo tossed the shirt aside, smiling at his friend. He unfastened Trowa's jeans, pulling down the zipper. Duo cleared his throat, always finding this part difficult to do when he had to help Trowa undress. It wasn't that he was nervous . . . no, he had seen Trowa in less than just his boxers, like during those rough spells when Trowa had been too weak to even go to the bathroom on his own. He just wanted to offer Trowa some amount of modesty and this was his way of letting Trowa know what he was about to do. He waited while Trowa raised his hands to grip the waistband of his boxers. Then he pulled Trowa's jeans down to his ankles.  
  
Trowa sat on the bed. Duo lifted his legs, swinging them over onto the bed as he removed the jeans completely. Trowa laid back, his upper body propped up slightly by the pillows behind him. Duo smiled, pulling the blankets over Trowa's body, noticing that his friend's eyes were almost completely closed already.  
  
"Sleep well, Trowa." Duo said, turning and walking over to the door.  
  
Just as he switched off the light, Duo heard a mumbled, "Goodnight."  
  
Duo smiled, silently closing the door behind himself. He walked to his own room, turning off the hall light as he walked. He yawned as he closed his own door behind himself, stumbling over to his bed. He just let himself fall, collapsing in a boneless heap. He was asleep before his head had even hit the pillow, letting his exhaustion claim his consciousness as he quickly fell into a deep slumber.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	10. Part Ten

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: More tormenting of the guys. Quatre and Duo suffering in this part. A little Heero torment as well.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Ten  
  
  
Duo flinched and whimpered as he battled his way through the endless memories that taunted him in the night, nightmares that haunted even his waking moments. It was different every night though, the memories cycling through in no apparent order at all. Anything could spark Duo into having a nightmare . . . a touch . . . a scent. He never knew when it would happen or why.  
  
Vicious whispers tugged at his subconsciousness, trying to break him down as the nightmare went on. There were people yelling, hard slaps and punches to his young body. The torment of living in an abusive household. The memories of the beatings and the way his foster parents had done nothing but hurt him . . . both emotionally and physically.  
  
"You're nothing but a little fuck up!" His foster father had shouted, slapping him harshly across his face.  
  
"Worthless brat!" His foster mother said, using the ladle she held in her hand as a weapon to beat him.  
  
"Stop! Leave him alone." Solo said, Duo's wonderful older brother trying to defend him, trying to save him from what these people kept doing to him.  
  
"We told you to stay out of this." That man hissed, grabbing Solo by his arm, roughly dragging him out of the room.  
  
A moment later, Duo was shocked to hear a scream and a group of loud thuds . . . he couldn't tell which had come first. He ran to the source, knowing that it had been Solo's voice he had heard screaming. He stopped, shocked and horrified as he reached the basement door, his foster father looking down with wide eyes, muttering about it being an accident.  
  
Duo felt numb as he stared down at his brother's immobile body, a couple of his limbs twisted in unnatural positions. He silently walked down the stairs, stepping into the darkness below him. Then he knelt by Solo's side, watching the slight rise and fall of Solo's chest, feeling as a warm red liquid began to soak into Duo's own jeans.  
  
Duo snapped awake at that, tears dripping from his eyes as the last images of the nightmare faded from his memory. He remembered that night so clearly, when the police and ambulance had shown up, how his foster parents had claimed the Solo had been running in the house and had slipped and fallen down the stairs. Duo hadn't really been paying attention to what had been going on then, but apparently the cops believed his story, since they hadn't lost custody of him.  
  
Solo hadn't died right away. He had lived on for three more days, his neck broken and in a coma until he silently passed away one night. Duo had visited him there in the hospital, seeing all of those machines hooked up to his body, fighting a losing battle to keep him alive. Only a few days after Solo was buried, Duo had run away from home, not that those bastards had even cared.  
  
Duo buried his face in his pillow, screaming into the soft surface as he once again had been forced to witness his brother's murder. He let himself sob for a few moments, then choked his tears back, stifling his urge to break down and cry. He stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the warm water relax him as he cleaned off his body.  
  
After several blissful moments of warm water soaking his tired body, Duo stepped out of the shower and dried himself off, wrapping a towel around his hair to soak up some of the moisture in it. Then he went back to his room, a towel securely wrapped around his waist. It wasn't even dawn yet, so there was plenty of time to let his hair dry, at least enough to get it into a braid. He never could go back to sleep after a nightmare, so there was no point in attempting it.  
  
Once he got to his room, he searched through his backpack and pulled out his little white pill bottle. He popped the cap and downed a few pills, waiting for the buzz to kick in. He sighed, dragging what homework he hadn't finished at lunch yesterday from his bag and began doing his assignments.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre groaned, his eyes slowly fluttering open as he felt movement in the bed beside him, his ribs beginning to throb because of the movement. For a moment fear shook him to his core, forgetting that he had been sleeping in his father's bed. Once he realized where he was though, he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.  
  
"Are you okay?" Father asked from where he was sitting at the edge of his bed.  
  
Quatre looked over at him, noticing the disheveled hair, the rumpled pajamas. Obviously, Father was getting up to go to work. "Yes, I'm fine." Quatre replied, although it was a lie . . . he was tired and sore and he just wanted to crawl away and die. "You going to work now?"  
  
Father nodded. "Yes. You can stay here if you want, or go back to your own room. You're not well enough to go back to school yet and I want you resting and getting better." He reached over, brushing back Quatre's bangs before rising to his feet and walking away. "I'll be home later tonight."  
  
"Yes, Father." Quatre replied.   
  
Slowly, he got himself into a sitting position, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Dizziness passed through him so he just sat there until he it washed away. Then he stood and carefully began to walk, every step causing a flash of pain to lance through his aching body. He would rather be alone in his own bedroom than alone in Father's room.  
  
As soon as he reached his room he went over to his bed and crawled in, bringing the blankets up over his head as he drifted back to sleep. He'd wake up again later, he knew that. Maybe then he'd eat something, or do something. Even if he was hurt he didn't want to be a lump and do nothing. But for now, he just wanted to rest a little.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
School passed by at an agonizing pace for Heero. All he wanted to do was to go home and check on Quatre, to see if his stepbrother was feeling better at all. His teachers and some of the other students offered their condolences, telling him that they wished Quatre a speedy recovery. Heero thanked them as kindly as he could, not truly knowing how to react to any of this.  
  
Now he was sitting in gym class, just sitting on the bleachers with the other students that were excused from the activities. Mr. Peacecraft had been kind enough to let him sit out today, obviously noticing how distracted Heero was. He'd probably just get himself hit in the head with a basketball if he played today . . . he couldn't think of anything other than Quatre and hoping that he'd get better.  
  
As gym ended, Mr. Peacecraft told all the boys to hit the showers, then went to his office as he did after every class. Heero just sat there on the bleachers, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.  
  
"I heard your brother is a slut." Some uncouth jerk said, whispering those words in Heero's ear.  
  
Heero jumped to his feet, pushing the jerk away, watching as he stumbled back and landed on the gym floor. It would have been better if Heero had taken a higher seat in the bleachers, but still it was satisfying to see that jerk fall.  
  
"I heard he wanted it." The jerk continued. "Bet he enjoyed it when Alex touched him."  
  
Heero just seethed quietly, flexing his fists at his sides. Heero closed his eyes, feeling unusually hurt, tears welling up in his eyes as the boy's words stung him deeply. Quatre was not like that . . . he hadn't enjoyed it.  
  
"Was he begging Alex and Mueller for it when you broke it up, Heero?" The jerk asked.  
  
"Shut your Goddamned mouth!" A loud voice exclaimed, followed quickly by the sound of a smack and a loud thud.  
  
Heero opened his eyes, only to see Duo standing in front of him, the jerk that had been badmouthing Quatre lying unconscious on the gym floor. Duo was still dressed in his white gym shorts and red tank top, normal wear for the gym glass. Heero had forgotten that he and Duo shared the same class for gym.  
  
"I-I couldn't let him talk about Quatre like that." Duo said, turning slightly to face Heero and smiling. A moment later, Duo's eyes rolled back in his head and he crumbled to the floor.  
  
Heero rushed to his side, checking his pulse quickly. A student came out of the locker room and Heero yelled at him to get help. Moments later, Mr. Peacecraft rushed into the gym, a half a dozen students coming out of the locker room to see what was going on.  
  
"What happened?" Mr. Peacecraft asked, kneeling beside Duo.  
  
Heero pointed to the jerk. "Well, he was making . . . upsetting . . . comments about Quatre and Duo punched him. Then Duo just passed out." Heero stated.  
  
"Well Nurse Sally's on her way. You don't go anywhere until we can sort this out." Mr. Peacecraft said, moving over to the jerk and checking the fresh bruise that was spreading across his face.  
  
"Yes, sir." Heero said, taking a seat on the bleachers once again, this time to wait and see what would happen next. He hoped that Duo wouldn't get into too much trouble for defending Quatre's honor.   
  
  
*****  
  
  
Duo slowly opened his eyes, feeling like a metal spike was being shoved right through his skull. His head just hurt so much. He groaned in discomfort, wondering what the hell had happened and where he was.   
  
Suddenly, Nurse Sally was leaning over him, shining a light into his eyes. "How are you feeling?" She asked, offering a slight smile to him.  
  
"I've got a killer headache." Duo replied, trying to sit up. Nurse Sally put her arm around him, helping him up. "What happened? Where am I?"  
  
"You passed out in the gym today, Duo, after punching another student." Heero said, from where he was standing by the doorway. Duo turned and looked, noting that Mr. Peacecraft and Mr. Dorlian were standing next to him.  
  
"Oh yeah . . . that jerk had it coming to him though with all that talk about how Quatre wanted it." Duo seethed, clenching his hands into tight fists, narrowing his gaze in anger even though it only hurt his head more.  
  
"I suppose that due to the circumstances I can let you off with a warning this time, Duo." Mr. Dorlian said. "But next time you will be disciplined."  
  
Duo bowed his head, swinging his legs over the side of the bed that he was sitting on. "Thank you, sir." He looked up at Sally. "Can I go now?" He asked.  
  
"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" She asked.  
  
Duo nodded.  
  
"All right, go to class. But if you feel at all dizzy you come back here." Sally said, she scribbled something on a piece of paper, and something else on another sheet. "Here's a late pass and a pass you can give to your teacher if you feel at all faint."  
  
Duo hopped off the bed and took the papers. "Thanks."   
  
As soon as he had reached where Heero stood, Heero handed him his backpack. "Here's your stuff. Mr. Peacecraft had me get it for you. Maybe you should change before you go to class."  
  
Duo looked down at himself after taking the bag. He blushed slightly, seeing that he was still in his gym shorts. "Yeah, I guess I should." Slowly, he started walking past Heero.  
  
A hand clamped on his shoulder and he looked over to see Heero smirking at him. "Thanks." Heero simply said.  
  
Duo only smiled in return and stepped away, letting Heero's hand fall from his shoulder as he made his way out of the nurse's office. He went to the nearest boy's bathroom and quickly changed clothes, just wanting to get today over with.   
  
That had been a close call . . . too close. Maybe he should cut back on the pills, or take more . . . he wasn't sure which would help. For all he knew passing out today had to do with the serious lack of sleep he had gotten last night. At least it was Friday so he wouldn't have to worry about school tomorrow. He sighed, hoping that he could get some rest this weekend, but doubting that he would be able to.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre grumbled, hearing the doorbell ringing. He rolled over, his eyes fluttering open. He yawned and stretched, then winced and gasped since that only caused him pain. Slowly, he sat up, his hand covering his ribs as he moved.  
  
He stood, a little unsteadily at first, but not as dizzy as he had been earlier that morning. That was a good thing he guessed. As he struggled to keep his eyes open, he shuffled his way out of his bedroom and to the bathroom.  
  
Once he had relieved himself, as difficult as that was with only one hand, Quatre started on his way back to his room. He braced his good hand on the wall as he walked, taking slow steps since he didn't feel like stumbling and falling. He was sure that would be painful in his current condition.  
  
A loud creaking sound alerted Quatre to the fact that someone was walking up the stairs. That one step had been creaking for years now, they had just never bothered to get it repaired. Curious to know who it was, Quatre stepped away from the wall and took a few hesitant steps over toward the staircase.  
  
His eyes widened as he saw a stranger slowly ascending the stairs, at least his one eye widened since the other was swollen shut. Panic welled up inside Quatre, his heart pounding as he found that he couldn't breathe properly.  
  
The man was huge, a bear of a man. He had a rough looking beard, a fez atop his head. Quatre could hear his heartbeat in his ears, the fear and panic just coursing through his aching body as he thought that this man meant to hurt him.  
  
Quatre turned and ran back to his room, just wanting to get away. He didn't see as his sister stepped out from behind the huge man, didn't hear as she called out for him to stop either. He just slammed his bedroom door shut behind him and locked it, only wanting to be safe.  
  
Then he crumbled to the floor, bringing his knees as close to his body as he could without it hurting, as he began to cry. He tried to take long even breaths, ignoring as Iria pounded on the door, pleading with him to open it, that the strange man was not a threat. Quatre didn't quite hear the name she had said, but Quatre didn't care anyway. He couldn't help but feel frightened.   
  
He lowered his face to his knees, his one arm curled around his legs, openly sobbing as Iria's pleading ceased, just wishing to be left alone. He wanted to feel safe again . . . why couldn't he feel safe?  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
  
  



	11. Part Eleven

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.   
  
Notes: Heero is anxious to get home and check on Quatre's welfare. Duo is rushing to see his new friend. And Quatre is still locked in his own room.   
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart   
  
  
  
Part Eleven   
  
  
Heero sighed as he stepped out of the school, his last class of the day having just ended only minutes ago. After a quick trip to his locker, he was ready to go home, wanting to get there as quickly as he could so that he could check on Quatre.   
  
He looked around, searching out a particular person, Duo. Then he saw him, standing by another set of doors, obviously waiting for someone to come out. Heero wove his way through the crowd and over to the long-haired young man, wanting to speak with him. "Duo?" Heero called out.   
  
Duo spun and smiled, waving when he saw that it was Heero that had spoken to him. "Hey, Heero." Duo replied, crossing the remainder of the distance between them.   
  
"You got Quatre's assignments, right?" Heero asked, getting to the point as quickly as he could.   
  
Duo raised his backpack, patting it with his other hand. "Yup, it's right here." He smiled. "As soon as I take a friend home, I'll be over to your place to give them to Quatre."   
  
Heero nodded accepting that answer. "Fine. I will see you later then." He turned and left. He stopped mid-step and turned back to Duo. "Thank you for earlier . . . for knocking out that jerk."   
  
Duo smiled. "No problem. Quatre isn't here to protect his own reputation, so I guess his friends have to do it for him. I was only glad to see to it that a jerk like that doesn't get away with trashing a nice guy like Quatre." He took a breath. "You best get going. I'm sure Quatre would like some company by now . . . especially after being in that huge house by himself all day."   
  
"He wasn't by himself. His sister, Iria wouldn't have left him alone." Heero replied. "But I will leave . . . I want to see how Quatre is doing anyway."   
  
"Knew you would." Duo grinned.   
  
Heero didn't reply to that. Instead he just turned and left, shaking his head as he walked away from Quatre's new friend. He didn't get too far however, as he was called out to before he could leave the school grounds. He turned, watching as Meiran and Wufei crossed the courtyard to stand in front of him. He sighed, although he had known that he wouldn't get through the day without having to talk to them.   
  
"How is he?" Meiran asked, her face showing nothing but concern.   
  
Heero sighed, lowering his head for a brief moment. "Hurt, scared, but otherwise he is fine." Heero replied, his voice barely above a whisper.   
  
A firm hand settled on his shoulder and Heero looked up only to see Wufei smirking slightly at him. "I am sure that he will recover." The Chinese youth said.   
  
Heero nodded. "Yes, many people have assured me of that within the past day."   
  
"Then you should believe us." Meiran said, a false smile on her face. "He will get better . . . you'll see."   
  
"Do you need anything from us? Does Quatre?" Wufei asked. "We'll do anything to help."   
  
"Yes, we will. Anything at all . . . errands, sitting with him after school . . . anything at all just ask and we'll do it." Meiran added.   
  
"A friend of Quatre's is handling his assignments." Heero replied, but upon seeing the seriousness of his friends' faces, he added. "But I am sure that Quatre would appreciate you visiting him to wish him well. He should be around friends now. I am on my way home. Perhaps you would care to join me?"   
  
Wufei and Meiran both nodded eagerly. "Yes, thank you, Heero." Meiran said.   
  
The three of them then walked to the edge of sidewalk and got into the car that had been waiting for Heero. Although Heero usually walked home, Mr. Winner had insisted that he get a ride, that was why Terri, a maid in their house, was giving Heero a ride. Terri was happy to do it though, since she was fond of the family she worked for. She didn't like seeing Quatre hurt, and would rather take time out of her schedule to drop off and pick up Heero from school if it meant making sure that he wouldn't get hurt as well.   
  
A short time later, Heero and the others walked into Heero's home. Heero frowned immediately, knowing that something was wrong, since he could hear Iria calling out Quatre's name. He dropped his backpack and ran up the stairs, sure that Meiran and Wufei were following behind him. He stopped short as he was met by a stranger . . . a huge man wearing a fez.   
  
"What's going on here?" Heero demanded. "Who are you?"   
  
The man bowed slightly. "I am Rasid Kurama." He said.   
  
"Father hired him as a bodyguard until the two jerks that attacked Quatre are caught." Iria said, stepping over beside Rasid.   
  
Heero nodded, then frowned. "Where's Quatre?" He asked.   
  
Iria sighed. "He's locked himself in his room. When he saw Rasid, he panicked. It's been hours, but he won't come out."   
  
"Let me try." Heero said, quickly stepping past both Rasid and Iria to get to Quatre's bedroom door. He knocked sharply. "Quatre? It's me, Heero. Open the door." Heero said, trying to keep his tone calm. Inside though he was panicking . . . it was wrong for Quatre to be so frightened.   
  
"G-go away." Quatre said, his voice muffled slightly by the door. "Just leave me alone."   
  
"Quatre, please come out. Wufei and Meiran are here. They came to visit you." Heero said, not sure he knew what he was doing.   
  
"I don't want to see them . . . please just leave me alone." Quatre replied, still not opening the door.   
  
"Perhaps it would be best to just do as he wishes for the time being." Rasid announced. "If he does not want to come out, then he will not open the door. And I think it would be unwise to force him out if he is already as frightened as he is."   
  
"Rasid's right." Iria said. "We can't force him." She turned to the door, raising her voice slightly. "Quatre, we'll be downstairs if you need us." She said. Then she sighed, turning and walking down the stairs. Rasid followed her.   
  
Heero sighed, shaking his head. He didn't like this. It still seemed so wrong in his mind for Quatre to lock himself away. He hoped something would be able to get him to come out of hiding.   
  
  
*****   
  
  
Duo walked alongside Trowa, worry present in his mind. He was worried about Quatre, worried about Trowa . . . just plain worried. He didn't like seeing people in pain, but they were all around him. He didn't even notice that he had stepped into the house, until something was thrust into his arms.   
  
He blinked, looking down and seeing a cookie tin in his hands. "What's this?" Duo asked, looking up at Catherine who stood in front of him.   
  
"Brownies . . . I baked them . . . for your friend." Catherine said, offering a kind smile. "I just wanted to be of some help."   
  
"Thanks. I'm sure he'll love them. You make the best brownies." Duo replied, trying to pry the tin open.   
  
Catherine slapped his fingers. "Now, those are for Quatre. If he wants to share with you then you can have one."   
  
Duo nodded. "Okay, okay." He turned, slapping Trowa on the back, worriedly noticing how pale his friend was. "See you two later." He said, dropping Trowa's backpack by the sofa and shouldering his own, carrying the tin out under one arm.   
  
As he walked to Quatre's home, he couldn't help but worry about Trowa. Trowa hadn't looked all that well . . . in fact, his health had been getting worse and worse lately. Duo was unsure if Trowa was doing okay or not. He brushed aside the thoughts as he saw Quatre's home in the distance, forcing himself to put on a cheerful mask if only to make Quatre more at ease.   
  
  
*****   
  
  
Heero heard the doorbell ring, but stayed in his seat in the living room. Rasid was the one to go answer the door. Whoever it was, Heero wished they would go away. He was just overwhelmed with worry for his stepbrother, unsure of what he should be doing. He just hated waiting around. Wufei and Meiran were sitting on a sofa beside each other, talking quietly. Iria was staring out of the window, as if there was something out there of interest.   
  
Heero tapped his foot impatiently, wishing there was something he could do. Quatre was frightened, had locked himself in his room, and Heero didn't know what to do. It was just infuriating to have to wait around like this.   
  
A familiar voice rang through the house and Heero shot out of his seat, hoping that he was right about the owner of that voice. As he approached the front door, he sighed in relief, seeing Duo standing there. He listened from a distance as Rasid and Duo spoke to each other, frowning slightly.   
  
"How many times must I tell you that he is NOT receiving visitors?" Rasid said, his tone annoyed. "Now . . . will you leave peacefully or do I call a squad car?"   
  
Heero shook his head. "What's going on?" He asked as he stepped closer to the door.   
  
"Hey, Heero! Will you tell this guy that I can come in?" Duo asked, glaring at Rasid.   
  
Heero smirked. "Ah . . . Rasid . . . This is Duo. He's okay. As a matter of fact, I'm glad you're here. Rasid scared Quatre and now he's locked himself in his room."   
  
Duo chuckled lightly. "Gee . . . I wonder how THAT happened?" He said sarcastically.   
  
Heero reached out and grabbed Duo's wrist, pulling him into the house. "You seem to be able to keep Quatre calm, can you get him out of there?" Heero asked, pulling Duo up the stairs to stand in front of Quatre's door.   
  
"I'll see what I can do. But if he's too scared, there probably won't be anything I can do." Duo replied.   
  
Heero nodded. "I understand. Just try." He said, then turned and walked away. "I'll let you two be alone." He muttered as he walked downstairs.   
  
  
*****   
  
  
Duo watched as Heero walked away. Then he turned his attention to Quatre's door. He knocked lightly. "Hey, Quatre . . . it's me." Duo said.   
  
"D-duo?" Came the timid reply from the other side of the closed door.   
  
"Yeah, buddy. And I got a present for you." Duo said, forcing a smile on his face. "But you're going to have to open the door if you want it."   
  
"I don't know, Duo. I-I'm scared." Quatre said. Duo could hear the tremors in his friend's voice, and worried for him.   
  
"Hey, I could always go around and climb in your window like I did last night. But I'm gonna respect your privacy. If you don't trust me enough to open the door, I'll understand. I can go back home." Duo said.   
  
"No! Please, please don't leave, Duo." Quatre pleaded. "I'll open the door."   
  
A moment later, Duo heard the click as the door was unlocked from the other side. Then slowly, the door was pulled open. Quatre peered out through the barely opened door, obviously to make sure it was Duo and that he was alone before he opened the door further. With trembling and insistent fingers, Quatre reached out and pulled Duo into the room, hastily closing and locking the door behind him.   
  
Duo sighed, then turned to look at his friend. Quatre looked positively terrified. His pale body was shivering, dried tear stains marring his bruised cheeks. Duo slowly reached out, pulling Quatre into a gentle hug as he soothed him with quiet murmurs that everything would be okay. Quatre reacted by clutching at Duo's body tightly, nodding against him in reply to his kind words.   
  
When Duo pulled away, Quatre was crying again. Smiling, he reached out, gently brushing his fingers along Quatre's face, wiping aside the tears. "Quatre . . . I got something for you." Duo said, keeping a kind smile on his face.   
  
"Really? For me?" Quatre asked, watching Duo intently.   
  
Duo smiled and pulled off his backpack. He knelt and opened the bag, reaching in and pulling out the tin of brownies that Catherine had made. He didn't remember exactly when he had put it in there, probably sometime when he had been walking to Quatre's house. "One of my roommates made these, when she heard you got hurt." Duo said, holding the tin out to Quatre.   
  
Quatre's demeanor visibly brightened, watching as Duo pried the lid off of the tin for him. "I love brownies!" Quatre exclaimed, reaching in and taking one. He ate it quickly, making a move to reach for another.   
  
Duo pulled the tin back away from Quatre's hand. "Quatre, just how long have you been in here?" Duo asked.   
  
"Um, almost all day." He said, lowering his gaze out of shame.   
  
"And you haven't eaten anything, right?" Duo asked, closing the lid of the tin.   
  
"No . . . nothing." Quatre admitted.   
  
Duo shook his head. "Now, Quatre . . . you know that isn't good for your health." He set his hand on Quatre's shoulder. "Why don't we go downstairs and get you some dinner? Then you can have more of these brownies, or share them with the people downstairs who are all worried sick about you."   
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry anyone. But when I saw that man . . . he's just so huge . . . I didn't know what to do and I ran. I'm sorry." Quatre sniffled, wiping a hand over his face.   
  
Duo pulled Quatre into another hug, holding him gently. "It's okay, Quatre. It's understandable for you to be frightened. Hell, that guy scared me too." Duo chuckled. "But you can't keep yourself locked up here forever."   
  
"I know." Quatre sighed.   
  
"If you want, I can stay for dinner. Will that help?" Duo asked.   
  
Quatre pulled back. "Will you . . . really?" He asked, his expression hopeful.   
  
Duo smiled. "Of course. Anything to help you, buddy." He looked down at Quatre's clothes, or lack thereof. "But first, I think you should change into something else."   
  
Quatre looked down at himself, blushing. He was only wearing his pajamas, probably had been all day. "Yes, I think you're right. B-but I can't really manage it on my own. Heero helped me last night." Quatre said sadly.   
  
"I'll help if you want." Duo offered.   
  
Quatre looked at him, smiling ever so slightly. "Yes, I would appreciate that." He said.   
  
Duo smiled, and nodded. "Okay, let's get you dressed."   
  
Quatre walked over to his dresser, opening a drawer and pulling out a plain pair of gray sweat pants. He opened another drawer and pulled out a white T-shirt. Duo took both garments from Quatre, setting them on the top of the dresser, along with the tin of brownies that he had in his own hands.   
  
Duo knelt down, gently tugging Quatre's pajama bottoms down with him. He helped Quatre to step out of the garment, then reached up and grabbed the sweat pants. Without saying a word, he helped Quatre put them on, pulling them up for him. When he looked at Quatre's face, he saw that the young man was blushing, his eyes looking away.   
  
"Are you embarrassed?" Duo asked, smirking.   
  
Quatre's blush deepened. "I'm sorry . . . It's just that no one but Heero or my other family members have ever seen me without clothes." Quatre whispered.   
  
"Quatre, you weren't exactly in the nude. You did still have your boxers and top on." Duo pointed out.   
  
"I know, but still . . ." he trailed off.   
  
Duo chuckled. "No need to explain, I understand." Duo said, rising to his feet. "Let's get that top off."   
  
Quatre nodded. Duo removed the sling, moving carefully and cautiously as he removed the beaten blonde's top. He fought to keep the frown from his face as he saw the multitude of bruises, biting his lip as he wished for Alex and Mueller to get what they deserved . . . a good beating.   
  
As soon as Quatre was dressed, Duo wrapped his arm around the blonde's waist, grabbing the tin from the dresser as they began walking to the door. "Don't worry, Quatre . . ." Duo said, trying to calm his friend. "Everything will be okay. You just have to give yourself time to heal."   
  
Quatre nodded, "Thank you, Duo." He said, his hand resting on the door.   
  
"For what?" Duo asked.   
  
Quatre smiled up at him. "For being my friend."   
  
Duo smiled back. "Anytime."   
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . .


	12. Part Twelve

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Quatre leaves his bedroom.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Twelve  
  
  
Quatre took a long, deep breath before he opened the door, his heart running wild in his chest as he fought to remain calm. He turned, looking over at Duo, only to see his friend smiling back at him. Quatre smiled, even if only slightly, appreciating Duo's presence greatly. He didn't know if he could do this without Duo's help . . . he was just so scared of being around all those people that were downstairs, even if they were all either family of friends of his . . . with the exception of Rasid.  
  
A moment after Quatre had pulled the door open, Duo gently urged the blonde to move. Quatre stepped out, laying his good hand over the one Duo had placed around his waist. Together, they walked down the stairs, moving slowly so that the movement wouldn't irritate Quatre's injuries too much.  
  
As soon as Quatre stepped from the last step, a wave of panic washed through him. What if they thought he was a baby for how he was acting? What if they hated how scared and frightened he had become? He had to fight the urge to turn and run back up the stairs to his room. All he wanted to do was bury himself under his blankets and hide for the rest of his life, but he knew he couldn't do that. So, with a bated breath, he started walking again, Duo right beside him. The other young man was whispering soothing phrases into his ear to reassure him as they moved into the living room.  
  
Quatre smiled despite his fear as he stood in the doorway, watching as Wufei and Meiran bickered over something as they usually did. Heero was ineffectually trying to get them to stop, while Rasid just watched the group of teenagers. Iria was staring out a window, apparently lost in thought.  
  
Beside Quatre, Duo cleared his throat, immediately gaining the attention of all the occupants of the room. Quatre was tired, sweating already from exertion, and once again wishing he had stayed in his room now that everyone was looking at him.  
  
Iria rushed to his side, pulling Quatre away from Duo and leading him to sit in a nearby chair, fussing over him. Heero placed a hand on Iria's shoulder, telling her to calm down, while Duo took a seat as close to Quatre's as he could get.   
  
Rasid stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Forgive me. I did not mean to frighten you earlier today." He said calmly.  
  
"It . . . It's okay really. I'm sorry I hid from you in my room all day." Quatre replied, lowering his head out of shame. "I was acting foolishly."  
  
"Quatre, don't be so hard on yourself." Meiran stated, laying her hand on his shoulder in a gentle offer of comfort.   
  
"Yes, you have been through a traumatic experience, it is only natural for you to be skittish for a while." Wufei replied, oddly enough agreeing with Meiran. "I'm sure you will recover in time."  
  
Quatre smiled. "Thank you for being so understanding."  
  
Duo cleared his throat again. "Uh, guys, Quatre has been locked in his room all day without food. I think it would be a good idea to get some dinner right about now."  
  
"You're right." Iria agreed. "What do you want, Quatre?"  
  
Quatre lowered his head, bashful and worried that he might seem childish for asking for what had just popped into his mind. He blushed slightly, his eyes remaining lowered as he whispered his request. "Chicken soup?" He asked, fondly remembering how his mother had always given him a bowl of chicken soup whenever he wasn't feeling well.  
  
"I love chicken soup!" Duo exclaimed, immediately causing Quatre's fears to vanish.  
  
Quatre smiled, still blushing as he looked over at Duo, grateful that he had said that. Then he looked up at Iria. "May I have some?" He asked, politely.  
  
Iria smiled. "Of course, Quatre. Everyone else want chicken soup too?"  
  
Several nods and affirmative answers replied to her question. A moment later, Iria left to go make dinner. Rasid moved to stand by the window, looking out of it. Quatre watched him warily, still not sure he could trust the large man.  
  
Meiran knelt in front of Quatre, gaining his attention. "Did I tell you?" She asked. "I'm going to try out for the wrestling team this year as soon as tryouts start."  
  
Quatre nodded. "Yes, well I heard you say something like that yesterday when you and Wufei were bickering."  
  
"And I remember telling you that it's a foolish idea." Wufei huffed.  
  
Meiran glared at him. "I didn't ask for your opinion, you chauvinist pig!" She replied.  
  
"I'm only stating what should be plainly obvious to you. You'll never get on that team." Wufei said with a shrug.  
  
"Oh yes I will, Wufei Chang!" Meiran exclaimed, rising to her feet and facing off against Wufei, almost touching noses they were so close. "I'll make the team . . . you'll see!"  
  
"Ha! If you make the team, then I'll become a cheerleader!" Wufei snapped.  
  
Meiran's face immediately lit up with happiness. "Deal!" She smirked.  
  
Wufei groaned. "I did not mean that literally. I was not challenging you to a bet." He said quickly, apparently trying to take back what he had said.  
  
It was no use though. Meiran had already caught him with his own words. "Oh, are you trying to back out? Afraid that I will make the team, Chang?"  
  
"There's no way you'll make the team." Wufei growled, glaring at the dark-haired girl in front of him.  
  
"Then there's no reason for you to back out of this bet . . . unless you're chicken." Meiran taunted.  
  
Wufei's eye twitched. "Fine . . . it is a bet then. If you make the wrestling team, I will try out for cheerleading. But if you don't make it, YOU try out for cheerleading. I think you would look nice in that skirt." He said smugly.  
  
"So would you, Chang." Meiran laughed.  
  
Quatre snickered, the image of Wufei wearing one of those cheerleading outfits now stuck in his mind, even though he knew male cheerleaders didn't wear the skirts. He covered his mouth with his hand, erupting into giggles despite his attempts to stop them. Beside him, Duo also laughed, Heero smiling as he fought his own laughter. Wufei blushed a dark crimson, which only served to make Quatre laugh harder, and for Heero to let out a few chuckles of his own.  
  
Quatre wrapped his arm around his waist as he laughed, aches springing up along his already sore abdomen. He didn't really want to stop laughing. He was happy. However, he did stop after a few more moments, smiling. Wufei looked totally embarrassed, but he smiled in return, apparently glad that Quatre had found amusement even if it was at his expense.  
  
A few minutes later, Iria called out that dinner was ready and waiting for them in the dining room, inviting Rasid to dine with them as well. Heero and Wufei helped Quatre up, leading him out of the room. As he walked, Quatre cast a glance in Duo's direction, watching as his friend pulled a small white pill bottle from his pocket and take out a few pills, popping them into his mouth. Quatre turned back to watch where he was heading, thinking nothing of Duo's actions, assuming that his friend just had a headache.  
  
During the meal there was a lot of idle chit chat. Mostly it was just talk of school or work. Quatre was happy to have conversed with Rasid, finding out that the hulking bodyguard had a family, even seeing pictures, which Rasid had pulled from his wallet, of his lovely wife and children. Quatre knew that Rasid had been in the bodyguard business for several years now, proud of the fact that he had never had a client get hurt while on his watch . . . that comment had made Quatre feel quite safe, at least more so than he had before.   
  
Duo didn't talk much about himself, not really mentioning family or anything. He was oddly silent for much of the conversations, only pointing out things if a person was wrong, talking about work if anyone asked him what he did with his time.   
  
Wufei and Meiran continued to argue. They acted as if no one else was in the room with them, they were so focused on proving the other wrong. During once such argument, Duo leaned over and asked Quatre if the two of them were dating or something. Quatre smirked at the picture that went with that thought, finding it agreeable to see his two friends in a romantic relationship. Perhaps if they actually got together, they wouldn't fight so much, although if they got together then maybe they'd fight even more.   
  
After dinner, Duo handed the tin of brownies back to Quatre. Quatre of course, offered a brownie to each of his friends and family members, smiling when they enjoyed the chocolate treats that Duo's roommate had made. Quatre had just finished his second brownie when he felt his eyes drooping shut.  
  
"Quatre, you look tired . . . why don't you go to bed?" Iria suggested.  
  
"But it's still early." Quatre argued, even as he yawned. "Father isn't home yet."  
  
Heero shook his head. "Quatre . . . you know your father would want you to go to sleep if he were here right now."  
  
"Yeah, buddy. I don't want you all exhausted when I come visit you tomorrow afternoon." Duo said smiling brightly.  
  
"Really? You're coming back tomorrow?" Quatre asked, knowing his expression was hopeful as he watched Duo with expectation.  
  
Duo nodded. "Of course. I'll even help you with your biology homework . . . I do remember you didn't like the dissecting and our homework was to go through the notes we made before. Since you're my lab partner, I guess we have to work on it together."  
  
"Yes, I suppose we do." Quatre replied, slowly rising to his feet. "I guess I will see you tomorrow then." He yawned again, this time losing his balance and nearly falling over since he was in mid-step when it happened. A pair of large arms caught him though and Quatre looked up, only to see that Rasid had caught him. "Thanks." He smiled.  
  
"Allow me." Rasid said, gently sweeping Quatre off the ground and into his arms. "You do not look like you will make it all the way up the stairs on your own right now."  
  
Quatre nodded tiredly, his eyes barely open. He bid goodnight to everyone in the dining room, distantly hearing as they replied to him, wishing him sweet dreams and a good night's sleep. It had been a good day after all, Quatre decided as Rasid carried him up the stairs and into his bedroom.  
  
Quatre must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew he was sitting on his bed, dressed only in his pajama bottoms, although he didn't remember changing out of his sweat pants or T-shirt. He looked down at himself, noticing that his sling and some of his bandages were missing from his pale and bruised body. Then he noticed that Rasid was kneeling down in front of him, wrapping a fresh bandage around his arm where he had rubbed his skin raw in the shower.  
  
"I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty to get you changed into something more comfortable." Rasid said, taping the bandage off.  
  
Quatre blushed. "No . . . it's ok. Thank you." Quatre whispered, trusting this man although not knowing why.  
  
Rasid helped him put on his pajama top, then to lie down. He pulled up the blankets for the young blonde, idly brushing his fingers through the young man's bangs before saying goodnight to him. Quatre smiled, quickly drifting off to sleep, mumbling a reply to Rasid, although he couldn't really be sure of what he had said to the older man.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	13. Part Thirteen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Heero has a nightmare about his own painful past and someone unexpected comforts him afterwards. Duo wakes up to hear some very disturbing news.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Thirteen  
  
  
Heero was asleep in his bed. The guests they had over that night had departed hours ago. Wufei, Meiran, and Duo had left shortly after Quatre had gone to bed. Mr. Winner had returned from work a few hours after that, looking in on his slumbering son once before he retired to his own room for the evening. Iria and Heero had followed the rest of their family's example and went to sleep as well. And Rasid was in the guest room next door to Heero's room, having decided to stay around if only to find out the routines that Quatre followed every day.  
  
However, even though Heero was asleep, he wasn't resting at all peacefully. He was tossing and turning, his mind plagued by horrible visions as he fitfully slept. The blankets were coiled around him, clinging to his sweat-slickened skin, while he ineffectually clawed at them and the bed below him.  
  
In his nightmares, he relived his worst memory . . . for the first time since it had happened he was actually remembering the events clearly. There was his mother . . . his beautiful mother, Setzu Yuy. Heero was barely six years old, smiling happily as he held his mother's hand. It was getting dark and they were returning to the car after a pleasant day in the park. Then he watched as those boys, as those teenage boys stepped out from behind the trees, their breath foul with liquor as they taunted and laughed.  
  
One of them had a gun, grabbing Heero away from his mother and holding the barrel to his head, ordering his mother to strip. Setzu Yuy's lip was trembling, tears silently falling from her eyes, but she complied with them to save Heero . . . it was all for Heero. Heero could hear himself screaming for her, his own eyes blurred by the torrent of tears that streamed from his eyes. But those boys ignored him, each taking a turn at raping his mother in front of him, smacking him if he attempted to look away from the horrendous things they forced her to do.  
  
The next thing Heero knew he was opening his eyes and gazing up at Rasid's worried face. The larger man's hands were clamped around his arms, holding him down to the bed. Heero blinked, fear washing through him, momentarily unable to distinguish between reality and the terrible nightmare of his past. Rasid only held his arms, soothing words falling from his lips to try and calm Heero. Even as Heero kicked, and tried to squirm away, Rasid held him down, his grip not strong enough to hurt, but just forceful enough to keep him down.  
  
With a whimper, Heero gave up his struggles, laying there quietly as a single tear dripped from his eye. Rasid let go of him then, and Heero rolled over onto his side, turning away from Rasid and curling up, his body shaking as he wept. He hadn't had nightmares of his mother's attack in years. But now all of a sudden they had started again, all because he had failed to protect Quatre yesterday at school.  
  
A firm, yet gentle hand stroked along Heero's back, a whispering voice quietly urging him to calm down. After a moment, Heero turned, looking up at Rasid and feeling a mix of embarrassment and gratitude about the huge man's presence in his bedroom this night.  
  
Rasid said nothing. Instead, he reached out and carefully unwound the blankets and sheets from Heero's body. Then he gently pulled Heero into his arms, cradling the still shaking youth as one would a frightened child. Heero, although he usually gave off a gruff exterior, sank into the embrace . . . he was too tired to put up his walls of disinterest, too weary to care what Rasid would think of him in this moment of weakness. He just let himself be cradled in the older man's strong arms, feeling secure in the comforting embrace.  
  
After a few moments, Heero found the courage to speak his mind, his brow furrowing lightly as he asked the questions that were plaguing him. "Have you ever let someone down when they needed you, Rasid? Have you ever had to sit by and watch someone you care about suffer and know that it's your own fault that they're hurting?"  
  
Rasid sighed, his hands pushing Heero away from him lightly. "Yes, I am afraid that I have." The older man replied sadly. "My son was attacked a few years ago, much like Quatre was. I was late picking him up from school and he was beaten and raped. He was not as fortunate as Quatre I am afraid . . . he died a short time later having never regained consciousness after the attack."  
  
Heero gasped, paling as he heard that. He hadn't meant to bring up such memories in Rasid . . . hadn't known that Rasid's own son had suffered a horrible death. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that." He said, bowing his head and biting into his bottom lip.  
  
"No, do not berate yourself for asking questions. My son's death was the reason I quit the police force and became a bodyguard. I help to protect those who were involved in crimes similar to the ones that ended my son's life. I find great pleasure in knowing that I can offer protection to someone so kind as your brother." Rasid replied, tilting Heero's face up with one finger and smiling at him gently. "My son continues to live on in my heart. And I still have my other children to live for and love."  
  
"That's good." Heero replied, nodding slightly.  
  
"Do you wish to talk of your nightmare?" Rasid asked, brushing back Heero's sweat-dampened hair with one of his large hands.  
  
Heero frowned and sighed. "Not really." He replied, pulling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them as he shivered slightly. "I dreamed of my mother . . . remembering the day when she was gang raped in front of me." He said very quietly, his voice barely able to be heard.  
  
Rasid's hand settled on one of Heero's bare shoulders, silently offering comfort. "I am sorry that you had to go through something so horrible. No one should suffer through anything even remotely similar." The older man said.  
  
Heero smiled slightly, then raised his gaze. He opened his mouth, curious about something. "Did I wake you up? Was I that loud?" He asked.  
  
Rasid offered a kind smile and nodded. "You did call out quite loudly in your sleep. However, I was not sleeping. I was reading in my room when I heard you. I felt I had to investigate."  
  
"Thank you." Heero said, yawning widely.  
  
"It was no problem, young sir." Rasid said, once again weaving his fingers through Heero's hair with a great deal of gentleness that you wouldn't normally expect from someone so large. "You seem to be tired. Why don't you go back to sleep? If you would like, I will remain here until you fall asleep."  
  
Heero nodded, grateful for the kind offer. "Yes, thank you. I'd appreciate that." Heero said.  
  
Rasid smirked, helping Heero to lie down, covering him lightly with the blankets. He sat on the edge of Heero's bed, every now and then stroking his hand through Heero's hair. Heero fell asleep, finding the gentle touches oddly soothing. Rasid remained where he was, staying true to his word and keeping Heero company until a peaceful slumber finally overtook him.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Duo was jolted awake in the middle of the night by someone shoving him. He blinked open weary eyes, worry quickly spreading through him as he saw Catherine's panic-stricken face hovering over him. Tears were falling from her eyes as she pushed and shoved against Duo's body, pleading with him to wake up.  
  
"What is it Catherine?" Duo asked, sitting up and grabbing her arms.  
  
"It's Trowa!" She nearly shouted, clutching at his biceps. "He came to my room . . . woke me up. Duo, he says he's having trouble breathing. He wants to go to the hospital."  
  
Duo jumped out of bed, not caring that Catherine would see him wearing nothing but his boxers. It just didn't seem all that important whether he was dressed in anything or not. "Where is he now?" Duo asked, quickly pulling on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.  
  
"He's in my room. I'll get the car, you get Trowa dressed." Catherine said, then rushed out of the room.  
  
Duo nodded, more to himself than to Catherine. Obviously, it wasn't a dire situation, since Catherine hadn't called an ambulance . . . but Catherine deemed it worthy of a trip to the emergency room. Trowa must be in bad shape just to get her to do that. And for Trowa to actually want to go to a hospital . . . that was a bad thing all by itself.  
  
Once he was dressed, not really caring what state his hair was in at the moment, Duo rushed into Trowa's room. He grabbed some clothes for his friend, shoes as well, then went to Catherine's room. Duo frowned deeply as he saw Trowa. The tall young man was sitting on Catherine's bed, his face locked in a grimace of pain. He was clutching a hand over his chest, his breath coming to him in short gasps as he sat there.  
  
"Come on, let's get you dressed, Trowa." Duo said, quickly and gently helping Trowa into the sweat pants and T-shirt he had gotten. Lastly, he slipped a pair of canvas shoes on Trowa's feet, not bothering with socks, then wound a hand around Trowa's waist and helped him to rise to his feet.  
  
"It hurts, Duo." Trowa gasped and whimpered, leaning heavily against Duo's body.  
  
"I know . . . we're taking you to the hospital. Don't you worry, buddy. You'll be fine." Duo babbled, not sure if even he really believed his own words himself.  
  
Trowa remained silent after that, whimpering every now and then, but not speaking again. Duo got his friend into the car, sitting with him in the backseat and making sure to keep him comfortable, doing everything he could to ensure that his friend was going to be okay. Inside he was panicking though, fearful of losing his best friend tonight.  
  
  
*A couple hours later*  
  
  
Duo stood over Trowa's hospital bed, biting his fingernails as he looked down on the sleeping face of his ill friend. This had been a close call, much too close in Duo's honest opinion. Now Trowa was sleeping, peacefully, but still hooked up to various monitors, an oxygen tube in his nose and IV's in either of his arms.  
  
Catherine was outside of the room, talking with a doctor about Trowa's condition. The doctor was prescribing Trowa new doses for his medications, telling her that his condition is only going to continue failing unless he gets an operation. Unfortunately, it was an operation that they just couldn't afford right now. They had heard this so many times before . . . Duo knew the routine by heart already.   
  
Slowly, Trowa's eyes fluttered open. He blinked as he looked around, his eyes eventually settling on Duo's concerned face. "Guess I was right to want to come here, huh?" Trowa asked, his voice a feeble whisper.  
  
Duo smiled, even if it was fake, and took hold one of Trowa's hands. "They're altering your doses again, Trowa."  
  
"Of course they are . . . what else can they do?" Trowa sneered, closing his eyes as he sighed deeply. "I'm dying, Duo . . . and they won't do a damn thing about it because I can't afford to pay for this stupid operation . . . because I don't have medical insurance." He said, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes.  
  
Duo frowned, tightening his hold on Trowa's hand. "Calm down, Trowa . . . don't excite yourself. It's not good for you." Duo said, laying his free hand on Trowa's shoulder. "You are not going to die. How many times do I have to tell you that I won't allow that to happen? I'll get that money for you somehow."  
  
Trowa smiled weakly. "So, how long are they willing to keep me this time?" He asked, changing the subject.  
  
"This doctor seems generous, he actually wants to monitor your condition for a while." Duo said, smiling in return. "He didn't specify a number of hours or days, but he actually seems willing to help you."  
  
Trowa let out a quiet chuckle. "That's new. They usually can't wait to get rid of me. He must be new or something."  
  
As much as Duo hated to admit it, he knew that his friend was right. The doctors at this hospital tended to rush through Trowa's case, getting him back home as quickly as they could. Charity only took a person so far . . . and this hospital wasn't all that charitable to begin with. It had strict policies about people like Trowa . . . people that couldn't pay. It was difficult enough for Catherine to afford Trowa's various medications.  
  
Duo brushed an errant strand of Trowa's hair to the side, along with the rest of his bangs. "Why don't you get some rest, Trowa?" Duo suggested. "I think you could use some sleep right about now."  
  
Trowa nodded, not even attempting to put up an argument as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. That worried Duo. Trowa usually fought sleeping in a hospital room . . . he was afraid of never waking up again. Duo knew that Trowa must be exhausted to quietly obey him like he had. Duo sighed again, his hand set atop Trowa's head, his thumb idly brushing across Trowa's forehead, once again hoping that Trowa would live to see another day.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	14. Part Fourteen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. This is just for entertainment purposes. I am making no money from this.  
  
Notes: Quatre wakes up and has breakfast with his family. Duo stops by for a visit after having spent the whole night at Trowa's side.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Fourteen  
  
  
Quatre was warm and comfortable . . . he was in high spirits and he wasn't sure why. He came to wakefulness as he felt the bed shift and opened his eyes as his father stood up. "Father?" He asked, blinking tiredly as he turned his gaze to his father. He had been feeling somewhat nervous last night, a nightmare had left him jittery, and when he had heard his father come home, he had asked if he could sleep in his bed again. Of course Father hadn't declined his request.  
  
Mr. Winner turned and smiled gently as he tied the sash to keep his robe closed. He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out and combing Quatre's bangs away from his eyes. "How are you feeling this morning, Quatre?"  
  
Quatre smiled back, although it left his mouth a little sore. "I feel . . . better, Father. Where are you going? It's Saturday, you don't have to work today, do you?"  
  
"Down to breakfast. Do you want me to bring something up for you?" He gently tucked the blankets around Quatre's body, being careful with his injured form.  
  
Quatre thought for a moment. "No . . . I . . . I'd rather go and join everyone. I mean, if that's okay?" He replied shyly.  
  
The disappointment on Mr. Winner's face turned to pure joy. "I'm sure that everyone will be quite happy to see you." Mr. Winner said, pulling the blankets down and away from Quatre's body.   
  
Quatre sat up, with his father's help. Quatre winced, groaning as his ribs throbbed in pain. He curled his uninjured arm around himself. Father's hands settled on his back, holding him steady as he regained his breath.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to force yourself to do anything to please me if you're not ready." Father said.  
  
"No, I want to. I'm going to have a visitor later . . . so I might as well get something to eat now and be awake enough to actually have a visitor. Besides, I don't want to stay in bed all day." Quatre replied, casting a small smile to his father. "Please?" He asked, hoping that his father wouldn't make him go back to bed.  
  
"How could I possibly say no?" He chuckled, assisting Quatre in getting out of bed. He stayed nearby as Quatre walked out of the bedroom, offering support as he slowly made his way through the hall. When Quatre nearly collapsed on the stairs, his father was there to catch him, holding him without aggravating even one of his injuries.  
  
Quatre paused at the bottom of the stairs, taking long deep breaths as he tried to regain his composure. He was sweating quite profusely, the meager amount of activity wearing him out quickly . . . stairs weren't easy for him to handle yet. A brief wave of dizziness made him feel like he was falling, but it faded after a moment.   
  
His father's hands were at his back, stroking in gentle circles. "Take your time, Quatre. Don't push yourself. Just let me know when you're ready to get going again." He said, his voice laced with kindness. He was glad that his father was a patient man.  
  
Quatre nodded, not feeling up to a verbal reply. He stood there, one hand braced on the railing, his other confined in a sling. He concentrated on his breathing and slowing his heartbeat to a more normal pace, fighting back the waves of pain that were throbbing in various parts of his body. After a few more moments of rest, Quatre nodded. "I'm ready." He said, confident that his body wouldn't collapse if he continued on his way to breakfast.  
  
"Are you sure?" Mr. Winner asked, concern evident in his tone.  
  
Quatre nodded. "I'll be fine once I can sit down." He said, smiling a little. Mr. Winner once again stayed close as Quatre headed to the kitchen where he could hear the voices of his other family members conversing.  
  
All conversation died the instant that Quatre and Mr. Winner entered the room. All eyes turned on them. "Quatre!" Heero exclaimed, springing to his feet, only to be halted by his stepfather.  
  
Mr. Winner held up a hand. "Sit back down, Heero." He said calmly. Heero complied, but the expression on his face betrayed that he didn't look all that happy about it.  
  
Iria smiled warmly at her baby brother. "It's so good to see you, Quatre. Do you want anything special for breakfast?"  
  
Quatre looked down, feeling self-conscious. "You make it seem like my joining the family for breakfast is a big deal. I've done it countless times before." He said, not liking that he was the center of attention.  
  
Rasid, the only one who hadn't really jumped or said anything before, nodded. "Leave the boy be. While it is good that he's up and about . . . paying too much attention to him will only make him feel awkward and possibly drive him back to his room." He nodded to Quatre. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
"For the most part, yes." Quatre said honestly, hoping that the topic of his nightmares would not be brought up. He didn't want to think of them right now, although he was sure that he would have to tell someone about them sooner or later.  
  
He took a seat, smiling and thanking his sister when she piled a helping of scrambled eggs onto his plate. He also helped himself to some toast and Rasid assisted him in dishing up the home fries . . . Rasid holding the bowl while Quatre scooped some out on his own. He liked being allowed to do things on his own, even if it was awkward since he was only able to use one arm and not all that effectively either.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Heero watched Quatre without making his notice of the young blonde obvious. He was concerned of course, but he respected that Quatre did have to do things on his own if he was to be able to get back on his own two feet again. Even though he wanted to jump up and help with ever whimper that Quatre made, whether it was because he had bent in the wrong direction or for some other reason . . . but he held back, allowing Quatre to take care of himself, certain that Rasid or Mr. Winner would help if Quatre really needed it.  
  
The conversation throughout breakfast picked up after Quatre began eating. Quatre even joined in now and then, not saying much but at least he was participating. Heero smiled to himself, seeing that Quatre's appetite had apparently returned. The blonde packed away two helpings of eggs and three pieces of toast, not to mention the home fries.  
  
When he was finished eating, Quatre pushed himself up from his seat. Everyone turned their attention to him. Quatre looked nervous with all eyes watching his every movement. "I'm going to get dressed." He said, offering an explanation. "Duo is coming over today . . . he said he would."  
  
"Heero, why don't you help your stepbrother?" Rasid suggested. "If only to be sure he does not fall down the stairs."  
  
Heero nodded without wasting a moment. He rose from his seat, stepping around the table and walking next to Quatre as the blonde left the room and headed for the stairs. He climbed silently, grunting now and then from exertion. Heero stayed close, not helping unless Quatre obviously needed it or asked for it. He did want Quatre to get used to doing things on his own.  
  
When they were in his bedroom, Quatre dropped to his bed, sighing deeply as he tried to regain his breath. He looked tired, after walking only a short distance. "Heero, could you help me with the bandages? I can't reach some of them." Quatre requested, looking up at his brother.  
  
Heero nodded and offered a half-smile. "Of course. Why don't you get those pajamas off and I'll get you something to wear today, okay?"  
  
Quatre nodded, reaching up and carefully removing his own sling. He set it on the bed beside him, then slowly worked on getting the buttons unclasped. By the time his shirt was open completely, Heero had returned with a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt. It was the easiest thing for him to wear right now, loose and not difficult to get on and off.  
  
Quatre stood and shrugged off the top. Meanwhile, Heero went about gathering the necessary ointments and bandages, the tape to keep the gauze on. Quatre raised his one arm, wincing as he did so, and held onto his shorts while he pushed the pajama bottoms down and off. He stepped out of them, letting out a long breath as he took a seat again. He smiled up at Heero with a sheepish expression on his face. "At least I was able to get them off on my own this time." He said, blushing slightly.  
  
Heero chuckled lightly. "You're getting better then." He said. Then he knelt in front of Quatre, slowly peeling away the old bandages. It took a few minutes, but eventually Heero had tended to his wounds. Then he helped his brother to get dressed, allowing Quatre to do as much as he could, only helping when he faltered.  
  
As Heero was helping Quatre to put his sling on again, the doorbell rang. Heero looked up at the sound, smiling when Quatre's face lit up in happiness. "I think Duo's here." Heero said, giving his brother a smirk. "I'll take care of tidying up, you go greet your guest."  
  
"Thanks, Heero." Quatre beamed, then strode past his brother and out of the room.   
  
Heero watched his brother leave, then shook his head. He was happy to see Quatre so pleased about something again. He bent, picking up the pajamas, taking the used bandages in hand. He disposed of the bandages, tossing the pajamas in the hamper, all the time hoping that Quatre would continue to recover.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Duo felt gritty from head to toe . . . inside and out. He was tired and needed a shower . . . it didn't help that he didn't have his pills with him. He had been at the hospital all night, right by Trowa's side, not wanting to leave him there. 'I probably should have just gone back to Trowa's place.' Duo thought to himself. He dismissed that idea quickly though.   
  
He had told Quatre that he would visit today, and he never lied. Besides, if he hadn't come, Quatre might think that Duo was avoiding him. Duo was not about to let that happen . . . it was the last thing that the young blonde needed right now. Quatre had been through enough without thinking that a brand-new friend had just ditched him for no apparent reason. 'He'll probably feel bad as it is, but at least with me here he knows I care enough to show up even if I do look like I could sleep for a week.'  
  
His eyesight was fuzzy and he had to go by landmarks to get to the house. When he got to the door, he squinted and reached forward. 'Damn, I must really be tired. I missed the doorbell.' After two more tries, he managed it and tried to plaster a smile on his face.  
  
Rasid was the one that answered the door. Duo blinked up at him, trying to clear his eyes. "Hey, how ya doing?" Duo grinned, hoping he was pulling off the act of wakefulness.  
  
Rasid said nothing, he merely stepped aside and allowed Duo to enter the house. A happy welcome caught his ear and he looked up, smiling when he saw Quatre at the top of the stairs. Duo started for the stairs, but was stopped by a hand clasping his shoulder. He found himself staring at a stranger.  
  
"Dad, this is Duo Maxwell." Quatre said from the top of the stairs . . . he didn't seem all that willing to come down. Duo understood why though, it was difficult for him to get up and down those things. It would just be easier for Duo to meet him up there.  
  
"It's nice to meet a friend of my son." Mr. Winner stated holding out his hand.  
  
Duo grasped the extended hand, shaking it. "Thank you, sir." He said politely, fighting off the yawn that was building in his throat.  
  
"Are you well? You look a bit haggard." Mr. Winner commented.  
  
"Nah, I'm fine. I was just up late last night. A friend got sick and had to be taken to the hospital." Duo said . . . well he was speaking the truth. He was just leaving out a few things, like the fact that the 'friend' he was speaking of was his roommate. "I spent the night watching out for him."  
  
"Duo, you could have stayed home and gone to sleep. You could have called and said you weren't feeling well. I would have understood." Quatre said, from somewhat closer than Duo remembered him being. Duo turned, only to find that Quatre was now almost all the way down the stairs. Although he looked tired, he was at least making his way on his own.  
  
"No, I said I'd come to visit you today and I never lie." Duo said, smiling a little. "I'm fine, really I am." His words would have held more meaning had Duo not yawned at that precise moment. "I'll get some sleep later, after work tonight."  
  
"Nonsense." Mr. Winner stated. "You shouldn't go without sleep like this, it isn't good for your health. I insist that you get a shower and take a nap. I'm sure Heero would lend you something clean to wear. Visiting with Quatre can wait until later."  
  
"Yes, I'd much rather have your company when you're well rested." Quatre smiled. "Besides, you came over to help with homework, and if you're not thinking clearly, mistakes could be made."  
  
Duo smiled and nodded. "Yeah, okay. But I can't sleep too long . . . I do have to go to work tonight. I took off yesterday, I can't afford taking off too many days." He replied. "Lead me to the shower, Quatre my man." He grinned, taking the stairs two at a time until he was standing next to Quatre.  
  
Quatre smiled and giggled a little. "This way." He said, then turned and slowly made his way up the stairs.  
  
Before they had reached the top, Mr. Winner spoke again. "Quatre, tell Heero that I want him to lend some clothes to Duo."  
  
"Yes, Father." Quatre replied, continuing on his way up the stairs.   
  
Heero was walking out of Quatre's bedroom when he was asked to lend Duo some clothes. He grumbled, but didn't say 'no.' Still, he didn't look thrilled about handing his clothes over to one of Quatre's friends, even if he had been asked nicely. Duo thanked Heero politely when he handed him a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Then Quatre showed him to the bathroom, pointing out where the towels were kept and left Duo to his shower.  
  
Duo stripped and tossed his clothes in the hamper, trusting that his stuff would be returned to him sometime later. He kept his boxers though, deciding to rough it and wear the same pair that he had on earlier instead of going without any while in Heero's jeans. He set the boxers on the pile of clothes. The last object he took off was a simple gold cross . . . he'd had it for years, he wasn't about to lose it now. He set that with his house-keys, the couple of dollars that he had, and his cell phone . . . the phone was only used for emergencies, like when Catherine or Trowa needed him for something.  
  
He reveled in the feel of the water raining down on him. He quite enjoyed the shower, washing away the grit and grime that felt like it was coating his body. He shampooed and conditioned his hair, rinsing when necessary. He hoped that Quatre wouldn't mind that he had used all that shampoo . . . he'd hate to make a bad impression with his family so soon.   
  
When he felt that he was sufficiently cleaned off, he got out of the shower and dried himself, dressing in the garments that Heero had lent to him. The jeans were the right length, since he and Heero were the same height, but the shirt and jeans were a bit loose on him. Of course, he wasn't really taking all that good care of himself right now, so that could be the reason for the extra room in the clothes.  
  
With a towel wrapped around his hair, Duo looked around at the bathroom. He'd left everything as he'd found it, albeit wetter than it had been, but that was to be expected since he had just showered. He left the bathroom, carrying his shoes with him as he entered Quatre's bedroom. The blonde was sitting on the bed, yawning when Duo walked in.  
  
"Tired?" Duo asked, smirking.  
  
Quatre looked over at him, blushing a bit as he nodded. "Yeah, I was hoping to be more awake today, but walking up and down the stairs really sapped my energy."  
  
"Hey, since I'm napping, there's no reason for you to stay awake just watching my lazy ass." He grinned. "You can get some sleep too. I bet you'll feel better tomorrow . . . you do look better and better every time I see you."  
  
"Sleep . . . with you?" Quatre asked, his eyes going wide.  
  
Duo shook his head, chuckling a bit at the shocked expression on Quatre's face. The kid was just so innocent, even after what he had been through. "Not like that, Quatre . . . I'll take the floor, you get the bed. Just give me a pillow and I'll be fine."  
  
Quatre rose from his seat. Duo watched him, although his hands were busy running the towel through his hair. The blonde smiled pleasantly, although shyly. "No . . . I insist that you sleep in the bed. It's big enough for the both of us." He said, his cheeks aflame with embarrassment. He looked rather cute that way, despite the bruises. "What time do you have to be at work?"  
  
"I have to be in by five." Duo replied, shrugging. "Dinner rush."  
  
Quatre turned and headed over to the door, leaving briefly. When he came back in, he was still smiling. "I told Heero to wake us up at four. That should be plenty of time I hope."  
  
"Perfect." Duo said, returning the smile. He walked over to the bed and threw himself onto it, maneuvering until he was on one edge. Quatre laid down more slowly, groaning in pain as he reclined.  
  
"Rest well, Duo." Quatre said as he let out a deep breath.  
  
Duo nodded, yawning one last time. "Thanks. You too, Quatre." He replied, then closed his eyes. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	15. Part Fifteen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Heero wakes Duo up, then makes his thoughts about Duo clear. Duo goes home and helps Catherine with taking care of Trowa.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Fifteen  
  
  
Duo was startled awake by a sudden pain in his shoulder. His eyes snapped open, only to see Quatre's stepbrother, Heero, glowering down at him. "Wha?" He asked, stifling a yawn and confused as to why Heero looked so angry.  
  
"Get up. It's time for you to leave. Move it!" Heero hissed, his tone and glare telling Duo that he wasn't all that welcome anymore. Duo wondered what he had done wrong.  
  
Duo was fuzzily aware of a weight resting against him, and turned to see Quatre snuggled up to his side a little. The blonde was asleep, his face laying against Duo's chest, his legs entangled with Duo's. Duo blinked, then looked up at Heero, now knowing why Heero was glaring so angrily at him. "Um . . . this . . . this isn't what it looks like." He whispered nervously, gently trying to get out from under Quatre without much luck. The blonde merely cuddled closer, moaning lightly in his sleep as he tried to stay close to Duo.  
  
Quatre slowly opened his eyes, awakening as a result of Duo's attempts to extricate himself from this awkward moment. The blonde yawned, rubbing his eyes tiredly. When his eyes met with Heero, he smiled, but said nothing. He yawned again, apparently still tired.  
  
Duo cleared his throat, not really knowing what he could say in this situation. It would have been easier if he was alone with Quatre like this . . . but with Heero glaring at him, Duo felt a bit nervous. There was probably nothing he could say that wouldn't be taken badly by Heero at this moment. Being caught in a bed with Quatre snuggling up against him probably didn't make Duo look all that good.  
  
Quatre blinked, turning his gaze to look at Duo. The moment he saw where he was and how close he was to Duo, Quatre pulled away, a dark blush staining his bruised face. "Sorry, Duo . . . I didn't realize." He apologized, his eyes cast downward.  
  
"No problem, Quatre." Duo replied, sliding out of bed. "I gotta go to work now, so I'll see you tomorrow, okay? We do have to get that biology homework done." He smiled, leaning over and delicately brushing Quatre's bangs away from his eyes.  
  
"Yes . . . I'd like to see you again. Sorry we couldn't get to that homework today." Quatre said, smiling shyly.  
  
Heero grasped Duo's arm tightly. "Come on, you don't want to be late for work, do you?" He hissed, his fingers clenching uncomfortably around Duo's arm, digging into his skin hard enough to leave a bruise. "Quatre, you go back to sleep . . . I'll wake you when dinner's ready."  
  
"Okay, Heero." Quatre nodded, snuggling against his pillow as he yawned yet again.  
  
"Bye, Quatre . . . see ya tomorrow." Duo smiled, giving one last wave to the blonde before he was pulled out of the room.  
  
Heero let go of his arm as he was crossing through the doorway. Duo turned, smirking at Quatre's sleeping form before closing the door behind himself. As he was turning, Heero grabbed Duo by the collar and slammed him up against the wall. Heero's eyes were blazing with barely veiled fury. His voice was a seething whisper as he spoke. "I'm really grateful for you being friends with Quatre. But if I ever find you in bed with Quatre again, I'll tear your heart out and force feed it to you."  
  
Duo gulped, believing each and every one of Heero's bitter words. He swallowed, taking a moment to breathe before speaking. "Chill, Heero . . . I offered to sleep on the floor. It was Quatre's idea for us to share the bed."  
  
Heero narrowed his eyes, but released his grip on Duo's shirt. "Fine . . . just see that it doesn't happen again. I don't want to see Quatre hurt again." He replied, the anger slowly fading from his eyes.  
  
"Neither do I, Heero." Duo replied, raking a hand through his loose hair. "Quatre's a sweet guy. You gotta know I would never do anything to hurt him."  
  
Heero looked at Duo, then shook his head. "No, I don't know that, Duo." He said, then turned and walked away, heading into what was probably his own bedroom and closed the door behind himself.  
  
Duo lowered his head, taking a deep breath. He couldn't really blame Heero for his mistrust, his brother had nearly been raped after all. Duo understood . . . he couldn't be angry with Heero for saying those things to him, for threatening him or anything. Heero was just trying to protect Quatre.  
  
A tremor passed through Duo's body as he yawned. Pulling some of his hair over his shoulder, he frowned, it was loose, tangled and still mostly damp. Well, he'd definitely have to brush it before work. Actually, he should change his clothes before work too, he had been wearing the same thing since last night, when Trowa had needed to go to the hospital.  
  
He started down the stairs, pulling his hair back into a ponytail, not caring that it ended up looking messy and haphazard. He used the elastic band that had previously held his braid intact to keep his hair up. He sighed, trying to ignore the nausea roiling in his stomach. It had been too long since he had taken a pill. He was achy and tired . . . he just felt horrible. He had to get home, that's where his stash of pills was, then he could go to work. Without the pills, he probably wouldn't be able to make it through work tonight.  
  
Duo didn't relish the idea of losing more money, not when Trowa needed it so badly. He had to help his friend, had to provide money for that operation. Maybe he could get Howard to front him some money . . . the guy was nice, he might pay Duo a couple weeks in advance if he asked nicely enough. Duo did have a good reason for needing the money . . . Trowa was dying, his heart failing on him. Time was quickly running out.  
  
Rasid was standing by the door. "Would you like a ride home?" He asked.  
  
Duo nodded, smiling. "Yeah, thanks." He replied. "You don't really have to though, I can walk."  
  
"It's no trouble, really. I have to return to my own home . . . if only to collect a few of my belongings for my stay here." Rasid replied, leading Duo out to his car.  
  
"Isn't your wife pissed about you staying away so long? I mean she's gotta be upset about not seeing you."  
  
Rasid chuckled. "Yes, we have had arguments on this subject on several occasions. But she knows that my work is important to me, and she does understand my reasons. I would rather spend my time safeguarding someone, instead of only investigating a crime after it is too late to save the victim's life or dignity. Plus not being shot at, does appeal to my wife. She never did like the risks I took as a police officer."  
  
Duo nodded, taking a seat in Rasid's car. He waited until Rasid had gotten in as well, before continuing with the conversation. "So, you were a cop huh?"  
  
"Yes, I took an early retirement after my son was killed . . . it was too difficult to go back to the job after that." Rasid replied, letting out a long breath.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any harsh stuff." Duo said, casting his gaze downward. He hadn't meant to upset the guy . . . all he had wanted to do was just have a conversation, to pass the time as Rasid drove him home.  
  
"Do not worry about it." Rasid replied, saying nothing further on the subject. He turned the key in the ignition, starting the car then drove Duo back home.  
  
The ride was thoroughly awkward now. Duo felt that he had definitely pissed the guy off, and everything he said came out sounding lame. Still, getting a ride from Rasid was better than walking. It would mean that he would have time to brush his hair before going to work, maybe even catch a bite to eat.  
  
"This is it." Duo said, pointing out the house. Rasid pulled over to the curb, stopping the car in front of the house. "Thanks for the ride." Duo got out of the car, not waiting for Rasid to reply or even say goodbye. He jogged over to the front door, taking his key out of his pocket and letting himself in with it.  
  
As soon as the door was closed behind him, he tore off at a run to his bedroom. He grabbed his backpack, unceremoniously dumping the contents onto his bed. Dropping to his knees, he rummaged around through everything searching for what he wanted, what he needed. When he finally found the bottle, his hands were shaking too badly for him to get the top off. Frustrated, he tore the top off with his teeth, dumping a number of pills into his palm and swallowing them dry.  
  
Sighing to himself, he lay back on the floor of his room, allowing them to take effect. He hadn't known that he had been so desperate for those pills. Maybe he should cut back on them. But no, he couldn't . . . if he cut back on the pills, then he'd never be able to go to school and work those long hours at Angelo's.   
  
He couldn't afford to cut back on his hours at work either. Trowa needed the money for that operation. Duo wasn't about to just sit by and watch his friend die when he could do something to save him. He just had to work, at least until he had enough money to help Catherine out. He knew that she had some money saved up for Trowa's operation, whatever wasn't spent on bills or medication, or other needs, was put into a savings account. There wasn't much, but it was there. Duo had a similar savings, although not in a bank. He didn't trust banks. He had hidden his money . . . in a safe place, the safest place he knew of.  
  
Duo sat up, hearing the familiar sound of Catherine's car pulling into the driveway. She'd had it so long, Duo had memorized the noise it made when parking. He jumped to his feet, already feeling somewhat better. He capped the pill bottle and stuffed it deep into a pocket, grabbing his hairbrush and taking his hair down as he headed to the front door . . . he had to look as if he had been doing something.  
  
He opened the door and stepped out, a smile spreading across his face as he saw Catherine getting out of her car. His smile faded though, when Catherine went around to the other side of the car and helped Trowa out. Trowa looked positively exhausted. He was leaning heavily against his sister as she all but held him up. Duo ran over, wanting to help. He took Trowa's arm, swinging it around his own neck as he took his weight off of Catherine. "I'll get him inside." Duo said, helping his friend to walk to the house.  
  
Catherine smiled, closing the car door and following along behind the two of them. "Thanks, Duo. Trowa's very tired. You know how he is when they change his medication . . . takes him awhile to get used to it. He'll be fine with some rest."   
  
"Yeah, I know." Duo sighed, his only concern for Trowa.   
  
He did remember each and every time they had changed Trowa's medication. Either he was moody or tired for days on end, sometimes both, while his body adjusted to the change in medication. It was sometimes heartbreaking to watch, seeing Trowa struggling to even sit up while his body was growing accustomed to a new dose or a different prescription.  
  
Catherine closed the door once they were all in the house. "Can you get him in bed? He hasn't eaten for a while and I want to get some food into him before he falls asleep. I think soup is about all he can handle right now."  
  
"Sure, I'll get him all settled in bed." Duo grinned. "Come on, Trowa . . . let's get you out of these clothes and into bed, then you can have a nice home cooked meal before bed."  
  
"I'm not hungry." Trowa whispered tiredly, his eyes already falling shut. "Just wanna go to sleep." He grumbled, his voice weary and barely audible.  
  
Duo shook his head. "No can do, buddy . . . if Cathy says you need to eat, then you need to eat something." He stated, knowing that Trowa did have to eat.   
  
It wasn't good to take medication on an empty stomach . . . which Trowa had probably already done a couple times today. When he was tired, Trowa sometimes refused to eat, especially when he was on new medication or taking different doses. They'd had this problem in the past and both Duo and Catherine knew better than to let Trowa go without eating.  
  
Trowa made no reply . . . he was probably too tired to. Duo sighed, hefting his friend to his bedroom, while Catherine went to the kitchen. Trowa was getting heavier, probably falling asleep against Duo . . . and Trowa wasn't all that light to begin with.  
  
Carefully, Duo sat Trowa down on the bed. He quickly helped Trowa to shed his clothes, then got him settled underneath the blankets, his back and head propped up by the pillows. Duo took a few minutes to brush out his hair and braid it again, then sat on Trowa's bedside . . . he kept talking to Trowa throughout his hair care ritual though, trying to keep his friend awake.  
  
When Catherine finally came in, Trowa was just barely awake. "Duo, would you mind feeding him? I want to get a shower in while I have the chance." She held up her hand, stopping him from arguing. "I know full well that you have to go to work. But if you do this, I'll give you a ride."  
  
Duo smiled, accepting her kind offer. "All right. Go on, but make it quick, I don't want to be late." Duo replied.  
  
"Thanks, Duo." Catherine smiled, leaning forward and giving Duo a quick kiss on the cheek before handing him the bowl of soup and a spoon, as well as a napkin. "Make sure he eats as much as he can." She said, then left the room.  
  
"Okay, buddy . . . time for dinner." Duo grinned. He tucked the napkin under Trowa's chin, knowing that sometimes feeding his friend got a little messy. He looked in the bowl, stirring the contents around with the spoon for a few moments. "Chicken noodle . . . not too hot either, just the way you like it."  
  
"No, Duo . . . don't want to eat." Trowa argued tiredly, his brow furrowed a little. He raised his hand, weakly pushing the bowl away.  
  
"Trowa, now you know I love ya, but I won't let you go without eating just because you're too tired." Duo said, frowning at his friend. "You have to eat, and you have to eat now." He said firmly. "Now, open your mouth like a good boy."  
  
Trowa frowned, glaring as best as he could despite his tiredness. However, he did open his mouth and allow Duo to feed him. Duo smiled, glad that Trowa had seen things his way. He said nothing more, quietly spoonfeeding his tired roommate, hoping for his health. Trowa was so pale, his green eyes, dull and weary. He looked ready to give up . . . Duo hoped that he wouldn't do that. He didn't want to lose Trowa.  
  
Trowa slowly ate the contents of the entire bowl. Duo smiled at him when it was empty, wiping away what had escaped his mouth with the napkin. He tossed the used napkin into the bowl along with the spoon and set it aside.  
  
Then he helped Trowa to lie down. Still, Trowa was propped up somewhat by the pillows on the bed, but he was supposed to sleep that way, doctor's orders. Duo sat there, idly brushing a hand along the side of Trowa's face as the tall young man quickly fell into a deep slumber. He frowned then, when Trowa was sleeping, knowing that he didn't have much time left to get that money for his operation . . . Trowa was just running out of time.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	16. Part Sixteen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Duo goes to work. On his way home that night, he runs into trouble.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Sixteen  
  
  
Duo sighed as he watched over Trowa's sleeping form. He hated this feeling of uselessness, hated seeing the hopelessness in Trowa's eyes and the pain in Catherine's. These people were good to him, even though they had taken him off the street. They had given him a home, food, and even their love. He cared about them as one would care about a family. He knew that he loved Trowa like a brother and Catherine was the protective older sister he'd never had.  
  
"Duo, I'm ready." Catherine said as she stepped into the room. Her hair was still damp, but her clothes were clean. She smiled fondly at Duo. "Come on, or you'll be late for work."  
  
Duo nodded and stood. He took a brief moment to smooth out the covers over Trowa's body, sighing as he watched Trowa shift minutely in his sleep. Duo knew that he had to help these wonderful people. He would give Trowa hope and Catherine joy, just as they had given him a home. 'And then maybe . . . just maybe . . . I'll be able to stop taking those damn pills.' He dug his hand into his pocket, sliding his fingers over the bottle, frowning as he turned away from Trowa's bed.  
  
He followed as Catherine led the way out of the bedroom. He was ready to head off to work, to earn the money that would help pay for Trowa's desperately needed heart operation. However, he was quite confused when Catherine turned and went into the kitchen instead of heading out the door. "What's up, Cathy . . . you hungry?" Duo asked, keeping a cheerful smile on his face as he leaned against the doorframe.  
  
Catherine smiled and shook her head as she opened the door of the refrigerator. "This isn't for me. It's for you, Duo." She said. Then he looked over at him. "And don't argue. I know you, Duo. You probably didn't have breakfast or lunch . . . I'm not going to let you go without dinner too."  
  
Duo sighed, but decided not to press the issue. There really would be no point in arguing. As kind as Catherine was, she was also very stubborn. It was near to impossible to get her to change her mind once she had it set on something.  
  
She closed the door of the fridge, apparently not finding anything suitable in there. Moments later, she grabbed the bread out of the breadbox and quickly fixed him a sandwich, then left the house. Duo grabbed a couple napkins then followed her. He ate his sandwich while she drove him to Angelo's. It was delicious of course, Catherine made great sandwiches, even if it was only peanut butter and jelly.  
  
Nothing spectacular happened during work that night. Catherine dropped him off, he got himself a drink of water and popped a few pills, then he started waiting on the customers like he usually did, taking orders during the time that he was handling the counter.  
  
Duo waited until his break to ask Howard about getting an advance on his pay. Luckily, it was a good night. Howard was always in an exceptional mood when business was good, his Duo had high hopes of getting some money from him. Plus there was the undeniable fact that Howard was a damn decent guy . . . he'd been helping Duo out ever since he had been on the street, before that even. Duo had gotten a job working for Howard when he was still living with those awful people . . . he'd been hoping to get enough money to run away from home. Things happened differently though . . . still Duo was happy now, the past was the past and couldn't be changed. However, as much as he told himself that, it still hurt looking back on his life.  
  
Howard was more than happy to oblige Duo's request. Duo could hardly keep the grin off of his face as Howard said he'd give him as much as he needed. Still, he wouldn't take more than his fair share . . . it wouldn't be right to take anything more.   
  
As soon as Duo's shift was over that night, Howard handed him a wad of cash, grinning as he slapped Duo on the back. He let Duo out of the restaurant, locking it behind him and continuing to close the restaurant. Duo was always the last to leave, with the exception of Howard . . . but that was only because he had no idea how to do all that boring paperwork that Howard did.  
  
Duo quickly headed to the cemetery, having reason to visit one of the many graves at this late hour of the night. He had no need to look where he was going. He had been here countless times before and knew his way by heart. All that he had to do was get past the fence and watch out for open graves. After several minutes of walking around the dark grounds, Duo fell to his knees in front of the all-too-familiar headstone.  
  
"Hey, Solo." He smiled, lovingly running his fingers over the letters of his deceased elder brother's name.  
  
He didn't expect an answer, nor did he wait for one. With a sad smile fixed on his face, he lifted the pot of flowers he had left there a few days ago. He always made sure there were flowers on his brother's grave, even if he picked them himself most of the time. Setting the plastic pot to one side, Duo used his hands to dig in the earth just below where it had once sat. It took him a while, but he eventually found what he was looking for . . . a simple plastic bag.  
  
Duo yanked the bag out of the ground. He shoved the dirt back into the hole that he had made, then put the flowers back. "Thanks for keeping this for me, Solo." Duo said, opening the plastic bag and smiling at the roll of money.   
  
For years he had been saving up his pay from Howard, from the odd jobs that he took around town during the summer, from just about everywhere . . . he kept it here, adding to the bundle of cash every few weeks. There was several thousand here now, give or take a couple hundred bucks . . . hopefully it was enough to help Catherine pay for Trowa's surgery. Of course, there would be more if Duo wasn't taking those damn pills . . . but then he wouldn't earn so much if he didn't take the pills to keep himself awake. It was a paradox of sorts.  
  
Duo sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He was exhausted, too long since he had last taken some of his pills. He stood, pocketing his money as he turned and headed off to home. Catherine would get worried if he didn't get home soon. He didn't want to be the cause of her worrying, not again anyway.  
  
He was walking along the street, minding his own business when suddenly his arm was grabbed and he was forcefully yanked into a dark alley. "Well, lookie what we have here . . ." A sickeningly familiar voice said, making Duo's blood curdle. Duo's other arm was pulled back behind him, held at a painful angle, the other arm still clutched by his unseen assailant. Someone grabbed his hair and Duo was forced to look up, only to see Alex staring back at him with a cruel smile on his lips.  
  
"You fucking bastard!" Duo hissed, trying to wrench his arm from Alex's grip.  
  
"Such language, Duo." Alex laughed, pulling his arm back and delivering a forceful blow to Duo's stomach.  
  
Duo collapsed around the fist, all the air knocked out of him. Mueller pushed him to the ground, kicking him in the side as he fell. At least Duo thought that it was Mueller, but since he couldn't see the other bully, he just had to guess. Duo was trying to regain his breath, attempting to protect himself, while Alex and Mueller delivered strike after strike to Duo's body.   
  
A blow to the head, a few kicks to his frame . . . he stayed on the ground, trying to curl in on himself, attempting to keep his injuries to a minimum. By the time they stopped, he was beaten and bloody. The attack left Duo dazed, blood dribbling from broken lips as he fought off a wave of nausea and the ominous darkness that teased the edges of his vision.  
  
Duo was barely aware as Alex dragged him to his feet, shoving him hard against a wall. Mueller pinned him there while Alex ran his hands over Duo's body. Duo weakly tried to fight him off, but didn't think he was all that successful . . . things were just hazy. But then, everything became clear as Alex's hand went deep into his pocket and pulled out his money.  
  
"Woah, Mueller! Look at this!" Alex exclaimed, showing the cash to his comrade. "Gotta be a few thousand at least!"  
  
"Give that back!" Duo protested, trying to grab the money. He missed by several inches, nearly falling over as the movement threw his balance off. He could barely see straight, let alone make deliberate movements.  
  
"Maybe he's got more on him. Perhaps we should check him over more thoroughly." Mueller suggested, his hands on Duo's shoulders.  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right." Alex chuckled, his voice grating on Duo's nerves. "He's probably hiding more on him."  
  
Duo gasped, his eyes widening in fear as Alex grabbed the collar of his shirt and forcefully ripped it off. "No! Don't you fucking touch me!" He yelled, pushing at Alex, trying to kick him away.  
  
Mueller grabbed his arms, holding them behind his body, keeping him still as Alex worked on Duo's pants. Duo's mind screamed at him to fight back, so he struggled, despite the fact that his body angrily protested the movements he was making. He didn't want to end up like Quatre, didn't want to be so afraid, to fear contact. He didn't want to be hurt by these bastards.  
  
Just as Alex shoved his hand down the front of Duo's pants, Duo heard an angry shout echo in the night. "Hey!"  
  
Duo shot his eyes over to the voice, blinking as he saw those two friends on Quatre's standing a few feet away. If Duo remembered correctly, their names were Wufei and Meiran. He idly wondered what they were doing here so late at night, but didn't think much of it. He had other more important matters on his mind.  
  
Alex and Mueller took off without a word, shoving Duo down to the ground. They fled into the night, taking Duo's cash with him. Right now, Duo wished that Alex and Mueller had just killed him. How would he ever make that money back? How could he help pay for Trowa's surgery now? He buried his face in his arms, weeping for Trowa, for the money that could have saved his life that was now gone.   
  
Every hope that he had once had was dashed, crushed because of those two bastards. He just wanted to curl up and die, wished that Wufei and Meiran hadn't stumbled on the scene . . . there was just nothing left, no chance in Duo's mind of saving his best friend's life.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	17. Part Seventeen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.  
  
Notes: Catherine brings Duo home. The next day, Duo goes to visit Quatre.  
  
  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
  
  
Part Seventeen  
  
  
Duo felt horrible, not only bodily discomfort, but emotional distress as well. He was currently sitting in an examination room, wearing nothing more than a flimsy hospital gown, since Wufei and Meiran had brought him to a hospital to have him checked over. Meiran and Wufei had been on their way home from a date when they had stumbled across Alex and Mueller tormenting Duo . . . Duo was alive because of them most likely.  
  
Still, he couldn't bring himself to be joyous right now. He wasn't as upset about what had almost happened to him, as he was about losing all of that money. He'd been saving for so long to get that amount of cash. And with Trowa's health failing the way it was, there was no way that Duo would be able to get that amount again in time to save his friend. 'How could I have been so STUPID? The money would have kept until tomorrow! I should have KNOWN better than to get it all at once!'  
  
The door suddenly opened and Catherine walked in quickly. "Oh, Duo! Are you okay?" She asked, rushing over to stand before him.  
  
Duo found himself in Catherine's arms and he fought off his tears. Because of his stupidity, Catherine would lose her baby brother. How could she be so kind to him when he was such an idiot, such a stupid fool? How could he tell her that all of her hopes were down the tubes because of him?  
  
He found that he couldn't fight it anymore, and he let his tears fall forth. He clung to Catherine desperately, feeling so terribly sorry for disappointing her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Cathy." He whimpered, burying his aching face against her shoulder.  
  
Catherine rubbed his back. "Sshh . . . Duo, you have nothing to apologize for. You didn't do anything wrong. It was those jerks that hurt you."  
  
Duo let out a sob. Of course she thought he was blameless. She didn't know how stupid he had been. He barely heard Catherine ask a doctor if she could take him home, and felt his guilt increase a thousandfold. She and Trowa had made a home for him . . . a place of warmth and safety. He HAD to get that money for her. She deserved it . . . Trowa deserved it. They had been better to him than anyone else in the world.  
  
"Duo, come on, honey. Let's get you home." Catherine urged.  
  
Duo nodded, his mind drifting as she helped him to get dressed. He was simply tired, not to mention quite angry at himself over the idiot that he had been. He was barely aware of anything as they left the hospital, gave no notice of his surroundings until Catherine finally pushed him down onto his bed and took off his shoes.  
  
"Huh? What's going on, Cathy?" He asked, yawning as he tried to sit up.  
  
Catherine shook her head, carefully pushing him back down. "Now, Duo . . . I want you to get some rest. You've been through a lot tonight and you need to sleep. And don't even think about getting up tomorrow. I'm off from work, and I plan to fuss over you completely."  
  
"But I gotta go over Quatre's tomorrow. I promised him I would. We have a biology report to work on."  
  
"Duo . . ." She sighed. "Fine . . . but I don't want you overdoing anything. I'll drive you there in the afternoon. When you're ready to come home, I want you to call me and I'll pick you up. I do not want you trying to walk to and from there."  
  
"Thanks, Cathy." Duo yawned again. Then he smirked. "You can spend your time fussing over Trowa tomorrow."  
  
"Brat." Catherine smiled and gently patted his shoulder. "Go to sleep."  
  
  
*****  
  
  
The next day, Duo felt even worse when he looked in on Trowa. His carelessness had probably caused his best friend . . . his brother . . . to lose his life. There he was, lying in bed, his face chalky and pale, his body sweating as he lay in bed, just barely awake. He couldn't live like this for too much longer, Duo knew that . . . it was his own fault too . . . he shouldn't have been so stupid last night.  
  
"Duo . . . if you aren't feeling up to it, we can call. I'm sure Quatre would understand." Catherine's voice was saturated with worry as she set her hand on his shoulder, carefully easing him away from Trowa's bedroom door.  
  
Duo forced himself to smile for her. "Nah. He'd understand, but I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for breaking a promise." Duo replied, allowing Catherine to help him into the kitchen.  
  
Catherine sighed and shook her head. "Have it your way then. As soon as you finish your breakfast, I'll drive you over."  
  
Duo nodded and went about eating his breakfast. He didn't have the endurance to argue with Catherine right now . . . no, his body was simply too sore and tired to deal with an argument, his mind plaguing him with memories of just how stupid he was. Still, even though he hated himself, he ate his food in silence, not wanting to add to the grief he had already caused Catherine and Trowa.  
  
Not too long after breakfast, Duo was getting out of Catherine's car. Catherine had helped him to get dressed, much to his embarrassment, and had brushed and braided his hair for him. He couldn't quite manage to do it on his own . . . everything just hurt.   
  
He smiled back at her as he closed the door, shoving one hand in his pocket and fingering the simple white pill bottle contained there. He hadn't left it at home . . . couldn't have left it even if he had wanted to. He wouldn't be able to stay awake unless he took some of those, and he wanted to stay awake today, to actually do the homework he had to help Quatre with.   
  
"I can make it from here." He said, looking down the walkway to Quatre's front door. It wasn't too far away. He'd be able to get there on his own.  
  
"Are you sure?" Catherine asked, leaning over on the seat to see him. "I don't want you falling down and hurting yourself further."  
  
Duo smiled. "I'm sure. I can walk from here." He nodded slightly. "You get going . . . I'll call you when I'm ready to come home."  
  
Catherine sighed, looking at him with concern obvious in her gaze. "Well all right . . . if you're certain."  
  
"I am." Duo responded quickly.  
  
"I'll see you tonight then. Take care of yourself, Duo." Catherine said, righting herself and starting the engine.  
  
Duo watched as the car drove off, then turned and slowly began to make his way to Quatre's front door. It wasn't a long walk, not really, but to Duo's sore body it was quite a tiring trip. He took a breath once he finally reached the door, letting himself catch his breath as he raised his hand to ring the doorbell.  
  
It was Quatre's father that answered the door. "Oh my." He gasped, his eyes going wide as he saw Duo's bruise-riddled form standing before him. "Do come in . . . have a seat."  
  
"Thank you." Duo replied politely, stepping into the house.  
  
He made his way to the sofa as quickly as he could manage. Sitting, he couldn't help but groan as his injuries protested the movement. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, not noticing as Mr. Winner closed the door and came to stand in front of him.  
  
"What happened to you?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.  
  
Duo faked a smile as he opened his eyes, shaking his head lightly. "It's nothing really . . . I just had a run in with some muggers on my way home from work last night." He said, trying to play it off as nothing. He didn't want more people worrying about him. It was bad enough that Catherine and Trowa had to put up with him.  
  
"Perhaps you should have stayed home. I'm certain that Quatre would have understood your reasons for not coming today."  
  
Duo shook his head. "No . . . I promised that I would come and I don't break my promises. I never lie. Besides, we have homework to do." Duo answered. "Is Quatre up in his room?"  
  
Mr. Winner smiled a little. "You're an admirable young man, Duo."  
  
"You should have stayed home." A quiet voice said from behind Duo.  
  
Duo turned and looked at the doorway, sighing when he saw Quatre standing there. Duo could honestly say that the blonde looked better than yesterday . . . a few more days and he'd probably be back to his old self. Sure, he was still bruised and looked tired, but he did seem better.  
  
"Like I told your dad, Quatre . . . I don't lie. I said I would come over today and do that assignment with you, and I meant it." Duo grinned, carefully rising to his feet.  
  
A small smile appeared on Quatre's face just before he ducked his head. "Well then . . . come on, we can do the assignment up in my room."  
  
Duo nodded, following behind his friend. As he walked, his eyes roamed around, his sight catching on various objects that decorated the halls. The stuff here . . . it had to be expensive. Even as he thought it, Duo's eyes widened. He almost faltered in his steps. What was he thinking? Quatre was his friend, he couldn't do what he was thinking of doing. No . . . Quatre would hate him if Duo were to steal stuff from his house.   
  
Duo shook his head, biting his lip as his eyes landed on an ornate crystal vase. Quatre's family was well-off . . . maybe they wouldn't miss a few little things. Duo closed his eyes, his hand tight on the railing of the stairs. He didn't want to . . . no, Quatre was his good friend. He didn't want to hurt the blonde. But . . . he needed the money . . . Trowa needed the money. Maybe Quatre and his family wouldn't miss just a few things, only some little knickknacks that Duo could sell for quick cash. There was no other choice . . . Duo had to. Trowa needed his help, needed money for an operation . . . Duo had no options.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	18. Part Eighteen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.  
  
Notes: Duo resorts to stealing, and goes to the first wealthy family he can think of.  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
Part Eighteen  
  
Duo could not believe that he was doing what he was doing. Despite feeling like he'd been put in a blender on puree, he was standing outside Quatre's house in the middle of the night. 'Damn it! Quatre's a friend! I can't believe I'm even contemplating this!'  
  
Duo bit his lip under the black ski mask that he was wearing. His braid was carefully tucked underneath his clothes in case someone spotted him. He really didn't care about what happened to HIM, but he didn't want anyone touching Cathy or Trowa because of this. They'd been so good to him. Once he had the money for Trowa's operation, he vowed to turn himself in. It was the only thing he could think of.  
  
He stifled a groan as he moved a ladder underneath an open window. He remembered using this tactic to visit Quatre that first night . . . he shook his head, deciding not to think of that. If he thought about it, he might not be able to go through with this.  
  
'Okay . . . at least they can't say it was breaking and entering. The window is open. GOD, I can't believe I'm trying to find a loophole in this. Well . . . I'm not armed, so this isn't armed robbery. It's more cat-burglary. Maybe I can pay them back, little by little. Sure, I'll be in debt to them for life, but it'll be something.' Duo sighed, shaking off the thoughts that plagued him as he climbed the ladder. He paused at the top, staring into the window that looked into a hallway. 'I really can't believe I'm doing this.'  
  
Pulling together his courage, Duo climbed into the open window. It looked as if everyone was asleep . . . he was relieved about that. He didn't really want to be caught right now. However, he was even more relieved that Rasid was still at home with his family . . . according to the large bodyguard, he was going to be coming back in the morning.  
  
Duo breathed as quietly as he could. He didn't know how deeply the inhabitants of his house slept, not for certain anyway, but he gathered that Heero was a light sleeper. Duo sincerely hoped that he wouldn't step on a creaky floorboard, or knock something over. The last thing he needed was Heero breathing down his neck.  
  
With a sigh, Duo started looking for anything small that might not be missed right away. He froze for a moment when he entered the kitchen and almost ran right back out of the house. Memories had rushed to the surface, reminding him of that first night . . . when he and Quatre had made sandwiches and talked. Quatre was his friend and he had been so NICE to Duo . . . it was almost too much to bear, but Duo had to do this. 'Think of Trowa . . . just think of Trowa.' He kept reminding himself. This was all for Trowa. His friend needed his help, needed the money.  
  
Duo then left the kitchen and glanced around. He spotted Mr. Winner's jacket and went over to it. It was possible that the man had left a wallet with cash in the pocket. Duo searched through it and was rewarded with a wallet stuffed with bills. 'There's at LEAST a couple hundred dollars here. Not enough for an operation, but enough for Trowa to get some more medicine if the worst case scenario were to happen.' He pocketed the money with a moment of regret and continued looking for anything else he could grab.  
  
After a few minutes, he had a few trinkets that he could take to a pawn shop and claim to have found them at a garage sale. It was a plausible story, though the thought of lying made him feel sick to his stomach. He'd never liked lying. Besides, he was already stealing . . . from a friend no less . . . and that was bad enough.  
  
He was about to head out of the room he was in and back upstairs to the window and make his escape, when the light flicked on. 'SHIT, someone's awake!' He froze like a deer caught in the headlights when he saw Heero standing there in the doorway, glaring at him. The only thing keeping Duo from babbling out apologies and blubbering like an idiot, was the fact that he knew Heero could not have recognized him. With the ski mask, and the fact that his hair was hidden, he didn't really have any identifiable features.  
  
Duo swallowed and backed up toward a second doorway in the room as Heero's gaze flicked around the room as if to take note of just WHAT Duo had taken.  
  
"You son of a bitch!" Heero seethed.  
  
That was all the warning Duo got before Heero was running at him. Duo spun and ran for the nearest exit, only to be tackled to the ground. The small pouch that held many of the trinkets he had taken went sliding across the floor as he collided painfully with the ground. It was all he could do not to cry out in pain as his injuries flared up . . . and he braced himself for what he knew was coming. Heero was very protective, Duo knew that, and he couldn't blame Heero in the least for what was about to happen. If Duo had found someone stealing from Catherine, he would have reacted the same way. So Duo could only bite his lip against the cries of pain as Heero started pummeling him.  
  
"Heero! Stop it!"  
  
Duo bit back a gasp. That was Quatre's voice. Although he could feel new bruises popping up from Heero's assault, the pain that Duo felt came from deep inside. He had hoped not to see Quatre at all tonight. It would have made the whole thing a little easier to bear if he hadn't had to face Quatre, to see that sweet face of his and know that he was betraying his friend.  
  
Heero growled and turned to Quatre. "He's nothing but a dirty thief!" He yelled, raising his fist with the intention of delivering yet another blow to Duo's battered body.  
  
Quatre approached quickly and stopped Heero, wincing with pain as he lashed out and grasped Heero's hand. "Maybe so, but if he's stealing, then he must need it for some reason. He didn't come to any of our rooms to hurt us, so he probably just needs money."  
  
Heero sighed, shaking his head. "Quatre . . . you're too soft-hearted for your own good. Fine, I'll stop . . . go call the police."  
  
"Heero . . . couldn't . . . couldn't we just let him go? I mean there's been no real harm."  
  
"Quatre . . ." Heero growled. "He deserves to rot in jail."  
  
"But I want to help him." Quatre pouted a little.  
  
Duo was taken aback. Was Quatre really this kind? True, he knew the blonde to be good-hearted, a kind and decent person . . . but this was a little much, wasn't it?  
  
Apparently, Heero agreed with Duo's unspoken thoughts.  
  
"Quatre . . . he's a thief, not a stray kitten." Heero warned, his weight shifting just enough in his distraction.  
  
Duo took his opportunity to throw Heero off of him. He forgot the bag and just ran for the door. He was really glad that he'd remembered to wear gloves. He didn't want anyone to get his fingerprints from the stuff he had tried to take.  
  
As he reached the door, he could hear Quatre telling Heero not to chase him . . . that 'the thief' hadn't gotten much since he had left his sack behind. Duo was down the street and around the corner before the reality of what he had done finally set in, tearing off his ski mask as he came to a stop. He had stolen . . . from Quatre . . . had betrayed his friend.  
  
He was thoroughly sickened with himself . . . so sickened that he fell to his knees and threw up.  
  
*****  
  
Trowa groaned with discomfort as he opened his eyes. He felt so horrible . . . so tired and nauseous, so cold and sweaty all at the same time. He hated when his meds were changed, it always screwed up his body for at least a couple days.  
  
He struggled to push himself to a sitting position, grimacing as he swallowed. He was parched, his tongue feeling as if it was made of sandpaper. He reached over to the table beside his bed, picking up the glass that had been left there, only to frown as he found it was empty. That's right, he had finished it the last time he had awakened. With a shake of his head, Trowa decided that he would just have to get another drink himself. He didn't want to disturb Catherine or Duo when they were sleeping . . . he'd done enough of that already.  
  
Carefully, he got to his feet, swaying unsteadily for a few long moments. He was tired . . . dizzy . . . he could only hope that he wouldn't fall and crack his skull open on the way to the kitchen. He slowly began to walk, leaving his bedroom, sliding one hand along the wall of the hallway just in case.  
  
Luckily, he managed to make it to the kitchen without harming himself.   
  
He was just about to head back to his bedroom when he heard the front door open and close. He hadn't known that anyone had gone out tonight. Of course, he had been in bed all day . . . so it was pretty easy to miss the comings and goings of his roommates. He wondered if it was Duo or Catherine . . . considering the way that Catherine had hovered over him all day, in her typical mother hen manner, Trowa didn't think it had been her. Still . . . there was only one way to be certain.  
  
Trowa set his glass of water on the kitchen table and headed out to the front room, freezing in place as he stood in the doorway. It was Duo . . . and he looked terrible. He was standing with his back to the front door, dressed all in black . . . Trowa had to wonder why. His eyes were puffy and red, his cheeks flushed. He looked like he'd been crying . . . but why would Duo have been crying?  
  
Concerned, Trowa moved over to where Duo was standing. The long-haired youth hadn't seen him yet, his eyes cast down on the floor. What had happened, Trowa wondered. Why was Duo so saddened? Had someone harassed him?  
  
"Duo?" Trowa asked, reaching out one hand, his own breath coming harshly as he worried for his friend. He didn't like to see Duo upset . . . didn't like the thought of Duo hurting.  
  
Duo raised his head, his eyes swimming in tears. He shivered, taking in a gulp of air as he attempted to keep his tears back. He was failing miserably. Already, the wetness was seeping from the corners of his eyes, running down along his bruised skin in tiny little rivers.  
  
Trowa opened his mouth . . . and he would have asked what was wrong, but Duo didn't give him the opportunity.  
  
In an instant, Trowa found his arms full. Duo all but threw himself against Trowa's body, although it was obvious that he had held back his strength . . . or else Trowa would currently be on the floor. He clung to the taller boy with a desperation, coughing out cries that left Trowa's heart aching in sympathy for his friend.  
  
"Duo . . ." Trowa began, but was stopped from asking that question by Duo's quivering voice.  
  
"Don't, Trowa . . . Please . . . Please don't ask me." He whimpered, his fingers clutching at Trowa's body. "I did something horrible . . . but just . . . please don't ask."  
  
If anything, that made Trowa want to ask him about it even more. However, he respected Duo's wishes. If Duo didn't want to talk about it, then they wouldn't talk about it. As much as he wanted to know what was troubling his friend, he wouldn't violate the trust they had with each other.  
  
"All right, Duo." Trowa said, wrapping shaky arms around Duo's body. "I won't ask. But you know I am here for you, right?"  
  
"Yeah . . . I know." Duo whispered against Trowa's chest, nodding his head. "T-Thanks. I . . . I just can't . . ."  
  
Trowa set his cheek against the top of Duo's head, letting out a sigh. "Don't worry about it, Duo." He said, rubbing his hands along Duo's back. "If you ever are ready to talk about it, I won't turn you away."  
  
"Thanks." Duo replied, pressing closer.  
  
They stood there for a few moments, Trowa simply holding his friend in the hope that he was offering some minuscule form of comfort. Then Duo spoke again, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.  
  
"Trowa . . . d-do you think I could sleep with you tonight?" He asked timidly, burying his nose against Trowa's body, muffling his words. "I . . . I don't want to be alone tonight. I can go to Catherine's room . . . if you'd rather . . . I don't want to trouble you."  
  
"Nonsense." Trowa answered, a smile on his face. "Come on."  
  
He wrapped his arm around Duo's shoulders and urged the youth to walk, easily guiding him back to his bedroom. Duo stripped down to his boxers . . . a fact that left Trowa blushing . . . and the two of them got into bed. Mere moments after laying down, Duo was asleep, his head laying on Trowa's chest, his body warm against Trowa's side.  
  
Trowa sighed, brushing an errant hair from Duo's face. He hoped that his friend wouldn't be burdened by this secret he was carrying. All he could do was hope. Unless Duo talked, there was nothing left for him to try. With another sigh, Trowa closed his own eyes, allowing himself to fall asleep, his last conscious thought being that he hoped Duo would be okay.  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	19. Part Nineteen

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.  
  
Notes: Quatre returns to school for the first time since the attack. Trowa has a friendly meeting with Meiran.  
  
Choices of the Heart  
  
Part Nineteen  
  
Quatre bit into his bottom lip and clutched his books close as he walked toward the school. He was nervous . . . bordering on being terrified. This was where he had been attacked . . . where he had been hurt.  
  
"Quatre . . . if you can't do this, tell me and I'll call Rasid." Heero said, his hand settling on Quatre's shoulder lightly.  
  
Heero's presence was a great comfort to Quatre. "No . . . if I don't do this now, it will only get harder to come back." Quatre said, shaking his head. He smiled meekly at his brother. "But . . . I am glad that you spoke to the teachers and arranged it so that either you or Duo would be in each of my classes . . . it's a great comfort for me to know that I'll have at least ONE friendly face to turn to."  
  
Heero nodded once. "You're right, and you're stronger than I gave you credit for. A lesser person would have just gotten a tutor, like Father offered last night. You know we're all proud of you for going on with your life."  
  
Quatre smiled a little at his stepbrother, warmed by the comment. "Thanks. I knew . . . but it is nice to hear." Heero smiled in return.  
  
For the rest of the way to his class, Quatre was quiet. Quietly, he bid a polite thank you to Heero for escorting him to the door. He flushed as he entered, but forced himself to keep his head up. He would NOT act as if he had done something shameful. Everyone kept telling him that what had happened to him wasn't his fault, and Quatre was determined not to feel as if he were less than anyone else.  
  
A smile spread across his face when he saw Duo. However, the expression quickly turned into a frown when he saw how bruised his friend was . . . more so than he had been just the previous afternoon. Quatre took his seat before the teacher could tell him to sit down.   
  
He would have felt self-conscious of the looks he was getting from the other classmates, if not for the fact that his thoughts were now consumed with wondering how Duo had gotten worse in so short a time. It was as if he'd been punched by someone really strong.  
  
Quatre frowned in thought. Something about the new bruises struck a chord. It took a moment for it to hit him.  
  
Quatre blinked as, in his mind's eye, he saw Heero on the burglar. Duo and the thief were the same size . . . Quatre shook his head. 'But . . . that's not possible! Duo would never . . . but . . .' Quatre felt shocked to the very core. It made so many things fit. The burglar had seemed to know there was an open window. There were priceless items that had been handed down through the generations in the upstairs hallway, but they hadn't been touched. His father's wallet still held all of his credit cards, not one was taken . . . just the loose bills. Quatre shook his head again, not wanting to believe it. 'Why? Why would he steal from me? If he needed money, why wouldn't he ask?' Then his subconscious answered for him. 'Because if Duo really needed money, he wouldn't take the risk that I'd say no. He is just that way.'  
  
Quatre sighed. At lunch he was going to talk to Duo and give his friend a chance to fess up and explain things. Maybe . . . maybe there was another explanation.  
  
*****  
  
Trowa leaned against the wall, thankful that his teacher had allowed him to leave class early. He didn't like being pushed around by the crowd on the way to lunch. Actually, he didn't like being pushed around at all. The teachers were just concerned about him . . . they wanted to limit his stress. It was probably because he had been in the hospital just the other day. He knew Catherine had called the principal to inform him of that . . . although Trowa wished that she hadn't. He didn't want to be pitied . . . it was bad enough that he was dying.  
  
Catherine had wanted him to stay home and rest more. To be honest, Trowa had been tempted to do so, until Duo had steadfastly insisted on going in just because he knew Quatre would be there. To see his friend so eager to get back to school, despite numerous bruises and injuries, made Trowa feel like he shouldn't lay about in bed all day.  
  
Thinking of Duo made Trowa worry though. He wished that he knew that had happened to Duo. He was deeply concerned about the youth that he loved like a brother. Those bruises . . . Duo hadn't had so many earlier in the day. True, he had been injured that day, because of the mugging the previous night. But he hadn't been so hurt . . . and when he'd come home that night he had collapsed against Trowa crying. Knowing that Duo was in pain, physical as well as emotional, left Trowa aching to be of help. There was only one problem . . . Trowa simply didn't know how he could possibly help Duo.  
  
Trowa sighed and pushed himself away from the wall, thinking that it was time to get going. He had to stop by the Nurse's Office before he could go to lunch. Although he hated doing it, he did have to take his medication.  
  
He had only just gotten around a corner when he spotted something that made him stop. There was Meiran, a girl that Quatre had introduced to him and Duo just last Thursday, along with a youth named Wufei. She was alone this time . . . and kneeling in front of a locker that was wide open and horribly vandalized. She was simply sitting there, staring at something she held in her hands.  
  
Feeling awkward and hoping that he wasn't intruding, Trowa moved closer. "Umm . . . are you all right, Meiran? It is Meiran, right?"  
  
The girl nodded slightly, then looked up at him with eyes that were full of pain. "I can understand the graffiti and my books being all but destroyed . . . but . . . this picture is irreplaceable, and they ruined it."  
  
Trowa frowned as he looked at the locker. There were a couple of words, like "bitch" scrawled across the front, but there were also a lot of phrases like "take up knitting like a good little girl" and the like. If Trowa remembered correctly, Meiran had said she was trying out for the wrestling team . . . it looked as if some people were against that idea.  
  
He stepped closer and looked at the picture that she was holding in her hand. It had been a photo of Wufei proudly displaying a trophy . . . it looked as if he had won some form of Martial Arts competition. Now, it was torn at the waist. Trowa bit his lip a little, not knowing if it was his place to speak up. Still, it was better than simply standing around looking like a fool.  
  
"Uhh . . . this sounds bad, and I'm sorry, but . . . if you find a small frame, it won't be as bad. After all, it isn't as if they tore it lengthwise. On the top half, you can still see Wufei's face . . . and most of the trophy."  
  
Meiran shook her head a little. "Thanks . . . it's not the same though. I took this picture the day Wufei won his first tournament." She sighed and started picking her books up.  
  
Trowa knelt, lending her a hand. "But you kept the negatives, didn't you? You could get the picture redeveloped then."  
  
Meiran blinked up at him, then smiled. She raised her hand to her forehead, letting out a breath. "I never even thought of that." She smiled, shaking her head. "Thank you . . . Trowa, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah." He replied, rising to his feet with an armload of books and papers.  
  
Meiran stood as well. She kept a smile on her face as she pushed her books back into her locker, taking the things Trowa was holding and shoving them in as well. "I didn't think the wrestling team would be so against me joining. Mr. Merquise is holding tryouts today after school . . . this isn't going to stop me."  
  
"That's good . . . you should never let a little bullying stop you from something you enjoy." Trowa smirked, then ducked his head.  
  
If Meiran meant to say anything more on the subject, she was silenced by an announcement over the speakers. "Trowa Barton, please report to the Nurse's Office." The woman's voice called out, then repeated the statement.  
  
Meiran gave him a quizzical look. "Why are you being called to the Nurse's Office?"  
  
Trowa frowned, his fingers clenching on the strap of his backpack. "I . . . I have to go to get my medication. I have . . . well . . . a heart problem."  
  
Meiran's curious expression changed to one of sadness. "Oh . . . I do hope everything turns out all right. Do you want me to walk with you to the nurse?"  
  
Trowa shook his head. He knew that she meant well, but he didn't want to be pitied. "No . . . but thanks."  
  
He turned to leave, only to stop as a wave of dizziness suddenly crashed into him. He blindly reached out to a wall to steady himself but found nothing but air. Trowa felt like he was falling . . . but he never hit the ground. Instead, a warm pair of arms surrounded him, keeping him from toppling over. It was several long moments before he could focus on the face beside him, on the gentle smile gracing a kind face.  
  
"I think I'll walk with you anyway." Meiran said, helping Trowa to lean back against the wall. "But first, I think you should take a few moments to reorient yourself."  
  
Trowa blushed slightly, yet nodded. He knew that he'd need some time to gather himself. These dizzy spells weren't uncommon, although they were quite annoying.  
  
"So . . . how long have you been sick?" Meiran asked, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, it really isn't any of my business."  
  
Trowa smiled. Most people tried to avoid the topic of his illness. No one had ever really asked him what was wrong with him . . . people probably thought it was painful to talk about. Sometimes though . . . sometimes he wanted to talk, to have someone listen to him, someone to confide in.  
  
"When I was younger, I had strep throat. But my parents were having a tough time with work . . . Dad was out of work and mom was working her ass off with part time jobs . . . we didn't have any medical insurance. So when I got sick, we couldn't afford to go to a doctor . . . we had to wait it through and see if I'd get better on my own. I didn't . . . I only got worse." He sighed, closing his eyes. "Finally, my parents did take me to a doctor . . . turned out a complication had set in with my strep throat and I got rheumatic fever."  
  
Meiran kept silent, allowing Trowa to continue.  
  
"A few years later, I started getting dizzy spells and shortness of breath when I exerted myself . . . I used to like sports. My sister took me to the hospital after I had passed out one day . . . Doctors told me there was a problem with my heart . . . it's called Aortic Stenosis . . . a problem with the aortic valve. The doctors were amazed that it was progressing so quickly. I shouldn't be this sick yet . . . now I have to take medication to prevent heart failure. If I had insurance, or enough money . . . I could get an operation that could correct it . . . but . . . I don't."  
  
"Oh . . ." Meiran said, looking at a loss for words. "I wish I knew how to make you feel better, but I think that anything I might say would only come off sounding like pity. And I doubt you'd like that."  
  
"I definitely wouldn't." Trowa nodded, smiling a little. "I get enough pity from the teachers."  
  
Meiran smiled back at him, gently taking hold of his arm as another announcement was made calling Trowa to the Nurse's Office. "Come on then, let's get you to the nurse before they have a fit and send out a search party for you."  
  
"Thank you." Trowa said, sighing. He was glad that Meiran didn't immediately act as if he was about to keel over. She just walked beside him and talked to him.  
  
It was nice to have someone to talk to that didn't look at him as if he were a fragile piece of China that was on the verge of falling from a shelf. It felt good to have someone to talk to again . . . someone who wasn't always around waiting on him like Duo and Catherine were. As much as he loved the two of them, they could get annoying at times . . . and having a friend who didn't know everything about him made him feel almost as if he were normal.  
  
Trowa felt a true smile come to his lips . . . for the first time in a long time he was happy again.  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	20. Part Twenty

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Notes: Quatre follows Duo after class and witnesses something horrible.

Warning: Lemon ahead. Het lemon. 2xD with a smidgen of RxD involved.

Choices of the Heart

Part Twenty

Quatre kept an eye on Duo throughout the day. His worries that Duo might have been the one that had robbed his house last night were beginning to seem correct. Duo was obviously avoiding him. If Quatre tried to approach him, Duo would turn away or duck into a classroom, or simply disappear in the crowd. Quatre almost smiled at his efforts, if not for the fact that Duo had burglarized his home. 'Poor Duo. He seems to be punishing himself more than I ever could,' he thought to himself, unable to keep himself from feeling sorry for his friend.

He shook his head after the bell rang, signaling that it was time for lunch. Now was his chance to get Duo alone to talk to him. There wouldn't be any classes that needed to be rushed off too. He knew that Duo took lunch at the same time as he did.

When he saw Duo heading off at a rather brisk pace, Quatre followed. He had hopes of confronting Duo when they were alone. There was no need to embarrass Duo in front of others. Not when the situation could be remedied by a simple explanation. Quatre was certain that he would have one. Duo must have really been desperate for the money to have stolen from him.

After a few minutes, Quatre began to think that Duo knew he was following him. Duo was heading for the bleachers in the gym. What better place to talk where you couldn't be spied on easily? He approached and took a breath to call out to Duo, only to stop at the sound of voices. He ducked back out of sight, remaining hidden. Again, he saw no need to embarrass Duo in front of others.

"Oh, it's just you." That was a girl's voice. An eerily familiar girl. "What do YOU want?"

Duo's voice was filled with self-loathing as he answered. "You know what I want, Dorothy. Why else would I come here? It sure as Hell isn't to bask in your delightful company . . . or your pet poodle's."

Quatre took a chance and peeked around the corner, blinking when he found Duo talking with Relena and Dorothy. Those two girls had a rather bad reputation in school. The Principal was always trying to catch them in the act. They were both related to faculty members and considered themselves above the law. Most of the teachers turned a blind eye to their cruelty. Even Alex and Mueller had been smart enough to stay clear of them.

Quatre wondered what Duo was doing talking with them.

"I'm no dog, you pathetic worm!" Relena moved to lunge forward, but Dorothy grasped her arm, a wicked smile on her face.

"My, my, my . . . acting all high and mighty today, aren't we, Duo?" She laughed without mirth. "It's almost as if you think you're doing us the favor by buying from us. You aren't our only customer. We can easily take our business elsewhere. Do YOU have anyone else you can buy from?"

Relena snorted, raising her nose. "We don't need you, Maxwell. For all we care, you could go back to the gutter like the filthy trash you really are. You know, I think we should start charging you more. It's not like you can go to the principal and report us for dealing. You'd be incriminating yourself for using. So get off your high horse."

Duo sighed and was silent for a moment. "Look, I'm a little short this time. I got held up on my way home from work. You know I'm good for it."

Relena smiled, a cruel glint in her eyes. "After your insulting attitude, I don't see why either Dorothy or I should give you the time of day." She pulled out a small plastic bottle and shook it, the contents rattling. "But you ARE good for it. Next time, you'll pay three times as much. Once for each bottle, and once more for interest."

Quatre was shocked. Duo did drugs? Is that why he had stolen the money? No, that couldn't be it. If that were the reason, then Duo would have used that money to pay for the drugs. Instead, Duo claimed to be short on cash. Quatre was angry, but he knew that he'd really have to hear the whole story before he leapt to conclusions.

"You've got to be kidding me! I can't afford that!" Duo exclaimed.

"Wait, Lena. Perhaps Mr. Maxwell here can pay us in another way," Dorothy said, suggestively winking at Relena. There was something about the look in her eyes that made Quatre shudder. The answering smile from Relena was hardly encouraging either.

"What are you talking about?" Duo asked, his posture stiff. "How can I pay you?"

Dorothy sauntered forward, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked. She looked like a predator ready to pounce on her next meal. It made Quatre's stomach turn to watch, but he couldn't look away from the scene playing out before him.

She lifted her hand, lightly touching Duo's chest. "If you can't figure it out . . ." She slid her hand slowly down his body, her fingers catching in the waistband of his jeans. "Do I have to tell you?"

Duo swallowed, looking nervous. He shook his head. "No, y-you don't have to tell me. B-But . . ."

"Don't tell me you're shy all of a sudden." Relena laughed. "The way you flaunt yourself around, I figured you'd jump at the chance to have even one of us."

"Now, now, Relena. Let's not make Duo here all self-conscious." Dorothy smiled sweetly, licking her lips as she regarded the young man before her. "What do you say, Duo? I assure you, it could be a very . . . pleasurable . . . way to pay us. You'd be paid up in full. Maybe we'll even throw in an extra bottle, depending on just how well you perform."

"B-But I've . . ." Duo stammered, never getting a chance to finish his sentence as Dorothy chimed in excitedly.

"You're a virgin? Well . . . then you deserve something extra." She snapped her finger at Relena and the girl dug through her bag, pulling out a bottle that had to be three times larger than the first. Relena tossed it to her and Dorothy waved it in front of Duo's face. "See this . . . one hundred and fifty tablets, not the skimpy little fifty we've been giving you. You give us what we want and you get this." She rattled the bottle, her wicked smile widening as Duo finally gave a shaky nod.

"W-What do you want me to do?" He bowed his head.

"All you have to do is . . . well, me." Dorothy smirked. "My Lena likes watching."

Quatre held his hand to his stomach, feeling quite ill. He was watching Duo whore himself out for a bottle of drugs. How could he stand around and do nothing? But, if he did interrupt, Duo would hate him. He couldn't stand the mere thought of Duo despising him. And for the life of him, he couldn't seem to turn away.

Duo nodded shakily.

Dorothy smiled, raising her hand to stroke Duo's cheek. "Now be a good boy and strip," she said as she shrugged off her own jacket.

Duo did as he was ordered to. Quatre felt his cheeks flaming as Duo discarded each layer of his clothing until finally he was standing there in the nude. Dorothy clucked her tongue at the sight though, shaking her head. "Well, this won't do at all. You could be a bit more enthusiastic about this."

"But then how would you get to see him squirm?" Relena chuckled, leaning back against a wall.

"So true," Dorothy agreed, fluidly dropping to her knees in front of Duo.

Duo stood there silently as Dorothy's hand curled around his member. He closed his eyes, whether in shame or from enjoyment, Quatre didn't know. He bit his lip, his breath hitching as the blonde before him began to stroke him.

Dorothy leaned forward, her tongue tarting out to taste the tip. Duo groaned and Dorothy smiled at the reaction barely a moment before she parted her lips and took him in. Duo's hands balled into tight fists, his body shuddering.

Quatre watched as Dorothy began to move, her head bobbing up and down slowly. He felt his own breath hasten at the sight, some part of him wishing that he was in Dorothy's place. His eyes widened at the thought and he raised his hand to his mouth. Did he really feel that way about Duo?

Dorothy pulled away with a grin, a dribble of saliva and pre-come running from the corner of her mouth, her hand making short quick strokes along the now hard column of flesh. "There, that's much better," she commented, taking one last lick before rising to her feet. Relena handed her something. It took Quatre a moment to realize it was a condom. Dorothy wordlessly put it on Duo, caressing Duo's shaft as she did so.

"My Dotty likes it rough. You better make it good for her," Relena warned.

Duo said nothing, did nothing for the longest time. Dorothy and Relena looked to be getting quite impatient with him. Then, taking a deep, wavering breath, Duo finally moved. He harshly grabbed Dorothy by her throat and hauled her forward, crushing his lips to hers, his other hand gripping her waist in a bruising manner. Dorothy yelped in surprise, her hands grappling to hold Duo's shoulders. Then she sank into it, a moan springing from her throat as she melted into Duo's rough embrace.

Quatre shuddered, though he didn't know for certain which emotion was behind the reaction. He was overcome with so many. Disgust. Hatred. Envy. Lust. He couldn't pick between them. They all mixed together, jumbling in his heart and mind, confusing and intriguing him all at once.

Duo broke the kiss. He grasped Dorothy's crisp white button-down shirt and tore it open, the buttons flying in random directions. Dorothy gasped, a pleased smile on her face, pleasure dancing in her eyes as her chest heaved with each breath she took. He reached around, grabbing her ass as he buried his face in her chest. Dorothy's hands sifted though his hair, her nails scratching against his scalp as she moaned deeply, her head thrown back.

His hand slipped down, moving up along her thigh and under her mini-shirt. Duo broke contact then, shaking his head. "No underwear. I should have known," He commented, leaving her no chance to reply as he roughly spun her around and threw her up against the nearest wall. He kicked her legs apart, pressing himself up against her back, reaching around to take one of her breasts in his hand. Without a further word or warning, Duo settled himself at her entrance and slammed inside of her, sheathing himself in one solid thrust.

There was no pause for adjustment as he began a bruising pace, pounding up into her with wild abandon. Quatre had to fight to gain his breath and he was only watching it. His hands began to shake with each wild cry from Dorothy's lips, with each grunt and groan that Duo let out.

Finally, Dorothy clamped her hand over her mouth, her body shuddering in obvious orgasm. Duo merely grabbed her around the waist and hauled her to the gym floor. Pressing her flat on her back, he surged inside her again, jerking her hips up with his hands to meet each drive of his shaft. Dorothy threw her head back, her body writhing as her hands clawed at the floor.

"So good," she murmured, urging him to move faster, harder.

Duo obliged, setting a frantic pace. Relena came to them then, lying down along the floor beside Dorothy. She stroked her fingers along Dorothy's bared, sweat-glistening stomach. A smile curled her lips as she leaned down, capturing one of Dorothy's nipples between her teeth.

Again, Quatre felt queasy. He almost turned away at that point. But it was then that Dorothy arched her back and gave a stunned cry of elation, her entire body going into spasms. Duo shuddered above her, bracing his hands on the floor as he grunted his own release. He stayed there, motionless, breathless, for several moments until Dorothy curled her nose and roughly kicked Duo away.

"Get dressed and get out," Relena growled, throwing the bottle of pills at Duo. She then fell across Dorothy, kissing the other girl passionately, their hands roaming over each other's bodies.

Duo caught the bottle, looking down at for a while before he sluggishly got up and pulled his pants on. He was still dragging his shirt over his head when Quatre stumbled out of the gym. Quatre knew that he couldn't be caught now, not after that. He'd have to confront Duo later. Right now though he needed time to think. He had to consider what to say, how to get Duo to kick this habit and confess the truth about the break-in. 

He had to help his friend.

To Be Continued . . . 


	21. Part TwentyOne

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. 

Notes: Wrestling tryouts are held.

Choices of the Heart

Part Twenty-One

Duo stumbled into the first restroom he came across. Entering one of the stalls, he locked the door just seconds before he turned and threw up in the toilet. He was sickened by the depraved act he had committed with Dorothy. How could he have done that? He couldn't believe he had actually gone through with it. And what made it all the worse was the fact that the only reason he had been able to perform was because he had pretended it was Quatre below him. That thought only caused him to throw up again. Quatre had been through enough. He didn't deserve harsh treatment from anyone, especially not from someone as worthless and filthy as Duo was.

He set his forehead on the edge of the toilet seat after flushing and started to sob. 'Maybe I should just become a whore now. I hear they make good money, and then I could get enough for Trowa's operation quicker.' He sniffled and forced himself to stand up. 'I can't face Quatre now. I just can't. He deserves better than to have someone like me dirtying up his life.'

He looked down at the huge pill bottle still clenched in his fist and scowled at it. 'No more. This is the last bottle. I can't do this anymore. I've done some pretty crappy things before to get this stuff, but I will NOT become a whore for them.' And he knew, from Relena and Dorothy's reactions, that the two girls wouldn't take cash from him anymore. He'd just have to ration them, get himself off of them gradually. He just hoped he could do it.

----------

Trowa waited for Duo on the steps outside the school as patiently as he could. But he was growing concerned for his friend. School had just ended for the day and it wasn't like Duo to be late for their walk home. Duo always fretted about making Trowa wait around, as if Trowa would collapse if he wasn't home by a certain time every day. As much as he loved Duo, it was sometimes aggravating to deal with his overprotective nature.

Trowa's worry for Duo grew when Duo finally appeared. Duo was pale and his face held traces of tear tracks and his eyes were bloodshot. Combined with the numerous bruises, it made him look like hell. "Duo, are you all right?" Duo looked ill, which alarmed Trowa. "Maybe coming to school was a bad idea. You look sick. Maybe you should stay home tonight. I'm sure your boss would understand."

Duo shook his head. "No, Trowa . . . Cathy needs the money. At least school is out for the day now. You ready for the walk home?" He rubbed his hand across his already reddened eyes.

Trowa felt horribly guilty, but shook his head negatively. "I was going to stick around a while and watch the wrestling tryouts."

Duo blinked for a moment in obvious shock. "Wrestling tryouts? Tro . . . I thought you hated going to tryouts or even watching games because you aren't allowed to participate."

Trowa smiled in gratitude. Catherine had once told him that he couldn't go to tryouts because he couldn't play anymore, which had made Trowa feel worse about the whole thing. While he still felt bad about not being able to join in, he understood that Duo was concerned about his emotional well-being, just as Catherine had been. "Well, a friend is going for the team."

Duo looked confused. "Who? Not that I'm complaining about you having friends, but . . ."

Trowa shook his head with a light chuckle. "It was Meiran . . . you remember that girl we were introduced to by your friend Quatre a couple days ago. I met up with her on my way to the nurse's office for my meds. She's been getting hassled by some people for her decision to tryout. I thought she could use a cheering section for a change."

Duo grinned, looking a little like his old self. "You're going to cheer for Meiran? Cool! If I didn't have to work, I'd go too."

Trowa nodded, but then frowned a little as he observed Duo. He still looked weary. "If you're not up to walking home by yourself . . ."

"I'm fine, Trowa," Duo argued, waving his hand dismissively.

Trowa wasn't sure. "Duo, I don't think . . ."

Duo sighed in obvious irritation. "Listen, I'll ask if I can take a half day at work and get home earlier. Howard will understand and it'll look better that I went in even though I feel like crap." Then he smiled kindly. "You go on and cheer for Meiran and congratulate her for me when she gets on the team."

Trowa smiled. It comforted him that Duo would try to not work the whole night. It also delighted him that Duo wasn't going to try and talk him out of staying behind at school. "You're the best, Duo."

Duo's face fell a little before a smile was firmly in place. "I'll tell Catherine where you are. She's still going to worry, but at least she'll know why you aren't home."

Trowa wanted to tell Duo to drop the act, but bit his tongue to keep the peace. The last thing he wanted was to make Duo uncomfortable. "You take care of yourself."

Duo's smile became more genuine. "You too. Later, Trowa!" Then he was heading for the gate.

Trowa turned and walked back into the school. There was still a little while before tryouts started and Trowa didn't want to rush and cause an episode. He paused a moment when he heard raucous laughter from some jocks. He ducked out of sight, not wanting any trouble. He was often seen as a prime target for tormenting, regardless of his frail health. In all probability that made it all the better for them. After all, it wasn't as if Trowa could fight back.

"That will show that bitch! Girls belong in home ec. Although it's sexy as hell, they DON'T belong wrestling unless it involves mud or some other substance that makes them all dirty." There was more laughter. "Maybe after the tryouts, we'll go to the roof and untie her. That is, if we don't forget."

Trowa waited until the laughter faded as the boys walked away. He was shaking in anger, forcing himself to take deep breaths to calm himself. Trowa knew that those jocks had been talking about Meiran. She was the only girl trying out for the wrestling team as far as he knew. In all probability, they were the same idiots who had trashed her locker earlier that day. It sickened Trowa to know that those close-minded idiots had done something to his friend.

Taking one more deep breath, or as deep a one as he could actually manage without having a coughing fit, he decided he'd just have to help Meiran himself. That thought left him sighing. It was well-known that there was only one way to access the roof, by use of the stairs. Trowa didn't deal well with stairs. But, there was no other way, so feeling a mix of worry and determination Trowa set off down the hallway. He found the door just as he had expected it to be, unlocked. The lock on the door had been broken years ago, but the maintenance worker was just too busy with other things to get around to fixing it. He'd probably forgotten about it by now anyway.

He didn't even make it halfway up before he had to stop. He leaned heavily against the wall, perspiration running along his body and soaking into his clothing. He stood there, shaking and wheezing, struggling to stay calm though his mind and body screamed at him to stop. He waited until he could breathe more easily before he continued. He just hoped he wouldn't drop dead right here on the steps. The thought brought a dark chuckle to Trowa's throat. His death would probably remind the maintenance man to fix that lock.

Trowa shook away those morbid thoughts as he finally reached the top of the stairs. His hand was slick with sweat as he grabbed the doorknob and unsuccessfully tried to turn it. Wheezing and attempting valiantly to regain his breath, he wiped his palm off on his shirt and tried again. It turned and Trowa pushed the door open, stumbling his way out onto the roof. He dropped his backpack and his eyes widened at the sight of his new friend.

Meiran was tied to the flagpole. Two strips of duct tape sealed her mouth shut, stopping her from making anything more than loud moans and whimpers. But what really caught Trowa's attention was her state of dress. Her clothing was gone. All that she wore was her socks, bra and panties. The rest of her clothes lay in a heap on the rooftop not too far away from where she was restrained. Trowa probably would have blushed, if he weren't flushed from the exertion of walking up all those stairs.

She saw him and made a noise that almost sounded like his name. Trowa snapped to his senses and staggered toward her. "This . . . is probably . . . going to hurt," he struggled to say as he grasped the edge of the tape covering her mouth. He ripped it off, hearing only a whimper from the young Asian girl as the tape was torn clear of her face. "Are you okay?"

Meiran shook her head as Trowa moved around to work at untying her wrists. "You shouldn't have come up here, Trowa," she said, her tone full of worry. "You can't strain yourself like this."

Trowa shook his head. He was awed and deeply touched that she was thinking about his health first. Not many people cared enough to worry about him besides teachers and Catherine and Duo. "They were . . . talking about leaving you up here . . . all night," he said as he kept working at untying her. "I couldn't . . . let that happen."

Meiran still sounded deeply worried. "But your health! If you've hurt yourself, I'll never be able to forgive myself!"

Trowa swallowed and gave Meiran a small smile as the cording that had been binding her fell away. "Thanks. I should be all right, though." He wasn't telling the truth, but he didn't want her to worry even more. He honestly didn't know if he'd be all right after this. Even though his breathing had become much easier already. At least he could talk properly now.

Meiran covered herself as best as she could with her arms once she was free. She turned to face Trowa, a blush on her cheeks even as she spoke. "Listen, you should at least sit down while I'm getting dressed. After that, I'm going to take you to the nurse."

Trowa shook his head. "No, Meiran. You'll go to the tryouts first. If you don't show up, the guys who did this to you will think they can do anything they want to."

"But . . ." Meiran didn't look happy as she started pulling her clothes on. It was just a pair of sweats and an old T-shirt, but it was appropriate for the tryouts.

Trowa smiled. "It if makes you feel better, you can take me after the tryouts. But I should be fine. My main concern was making sure that you weren't hurt. I'll just sit on the bleachers and silently cheer you on."

Meiran sighed. "All right, but if I, even for a moment, think you're feeling the ill-effects of your climb, I'm taking you out of there."

Trowa nodded. "Fine," he agreed. He looked at his watch, relieved to see there was still over a half an hour left before tryouts began.

Meiran grasped his wrist, covering his watch with her hand as she lowered his arm. "We'll sit here until you're ready. I can be a couple minutes late if it means you're really ready to head back down. You can argue all you want, but it won't change anything." She smiled, delicately reaching up to brush his sweaty hair back. "The health of my friends is far more important to me than a spot on the wrestling team."

This time, Trowa did manage a blush, almost forgetting to breathe when Meiran's soft fingers stroked a delicate line along Trowa's heated face. He was awed by her, overcome by the mere idea that someone other than Duo or Catherine cared about him. "T-Thank you," he croaked, feeling ashamed as a single burning tear escaped his eye.

Meiran caught it with her fingertip and she gently swept it away. All the while, she merely smiled. "No. Thank you, Trowa, for putting yourself through all of this just to make sure I was okay." She caressed his face lightly, brushing her thumb against his cheek. "You just sit back and relax now. No more talking. Just try and catch your breath."

Trowa smiled and nodded. He allowed his eyes to fall shut and leaned back against the flagpole. Her hand stayed on his cheek the entire time, soothing away his distress with just her presence. Her other hand touched his and he flinched. Trowa calmed himself quickly though, knowing she only meant to help and returned the tender contact, softly curling his fingers around hers.

They stayed that way for several minutes, sitting in companionable silence. Only when Trowa was breathing normally did he open his eyes and offer Meiran a shaky smile. "I feel okay now," he said, slowly taking his hand from Meiran's grasp. "We can head back down now."

"You're sure?" Meiran asked cautiously, meeting Trowa's gaze with a concerned scrutiny.

Trowa nodded, pushing himself to his feet. "Yeah. I can breathe now and my heart isn't racing a mile a minute."

Meiran stood, watching Trowa warily. "Okay, if you're certain."

Trowa didn't feel the need to repeat himself. So, he simply headed for the door. He picked up his bag from where he had dropped it earlier, then opened the door and turned to see Meiran rush to catch up with him. "Come on." He let the corners of his mouth curl upwards. "Going downstairs is always easier than coming up."

----------

As they descended the stairs, Meiran kept a careful watch on her newly acquired friend. She was worried about him. But then, that probably wasn't a new thing for him. Tons of people had to be worried about him. The last thing he needed was another person bugging him about how he felt and what he should or shouldn't be doing in his condition.

She got him to stop and take a break about halfway down, not wanting to stress his body any more. They sat for a few minutes and Meiran engaged him in a conversation, knowing that it would be better to keep the both of them distracted from the topic of Trowa's poor health. When she was certain that he was ready to continue, she stood and helped Trowa up. Casually, she pulled his backpack away from him and slung it over her own shoulder, offering nothing more than a smile as she clapped him on the back and resumed her descent.

Trowa didn't argue and soon enough they had made it back down the stairs. She checked her watch, a smile breaking out on her face when she saw that she still had plenty of time to get to the gym. "Come on, I can't wait to see those jerks' faces when I walk in."

Trowa smiled back and nodded. "Neither can I." He didn't say anything more as they approached the gym.

Meiran was still concerned about Trowa, but kept it from showing on her face as they entered the gym. She needed to show those jerks that they didn't intimidate her. After all, only cowards needed to gang up on someone to ensure victory. That thought, in and of itself, gave her strength. To know that she frightened them so much that they went to such an extreme to avoid facing her, gave her the courage to walk in here. That, and Trowa's presence, the fact that he had risked his own health to help her.

The group of them were laughing about something as she walked in, but the laughter died as she approached. One or two had the good sense to look worried. The leader of the jocks sneered at her as she set Trowa's backpack down by the bleachers. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Wufei there seated amongst the others who had come to watch the tryouts, but gave her attention to the boys stalking over to her.

"What are you doing here? I thought we made ourselves clear earlier," the leader of the jocks said.

Meiran started to pull her hair back, easily securing it into a short ponytail with an elastic band she'd had around her wrist. "You did. You made it perfectly clear that you are a bunch of cowards who didn't have the guts to face me fairly. You chose to destroy my property and harass me in hopes that I would back down." She fixed the boy in front of her with a level gaze. "And believe me when I say that I will be going to the principal about this." She hated the idea of being labeled a snitch, but she wouldn't have her dignity suffer over the likes of these brutes.

The jock snorted. "Like he'd believe you over me. You should have stayed where we put you, little girl. It would have taught you a lesson in humility to stay tied up to that flagpole and be found by the janitor in your underwear."

Meiran fought to keep the smile from her face, as she had seen the coach approaching. Now, the tall blonde was right behind the ringleader of the group and had undoubtedly heard everything that had been said. "Excuse me, but what is all this about, Mr. Perkins? Why would the janitor find this young lady tied to a flagpole in her underwear?"

The jock and his lackeys spun, wide-eyed with shock. He spluttered for a moment, caught between denial and trying to pass off his actions as a prank.

The coach's eyes narrowed quite a bit. He gazed at the cluster of jocks through ice blue eyes. "I take it from the looks on your faces that you were all in on this." He shook his head sadly. "It saddens me to do this, but you are all banned from tryouts and I will be reporting your actions to the principal. This school does not take kindly to sexual harassment. Pick up your gear and get out of this gym."

"But sir . . ." one of the jocks started, only to be stopped by Mr. Peacecraft's cold glare.

"No buts, Mr. Perkins. This may be a wrestling team, but violence or cruelty toward others is not something I tolerate. Leave now." Mr. Peacecraft then turned to Meiran, looking at her cautiously. "Are you all right, Miss Ling? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"No, sir. I'm fine sir." Meiran sat, smiling brightly as the jocks grudgingly left the gym. Even if they were giving her dirty looks, she didn't think she had ever been happier. They couldn't stop her from trying out now.

"Okay. Have a seat on the bleachers with everyone else. The section on the left is for the students trying out. We still have a few minutes before tryouts begin." Mr. Peacecraft said, then turned and walked away, making sure that everything was set up.

"What was all that about?" Wufei's familiar voice called.

Meiran turned, still smiling as she found Wufei had descended the bleachers. "Oh, nothing. A few of the boys didn't want me trying out and tried to sabotage me. But things are okay now. Go on and sit down."

"Okay," Wufei said, though he looked hardly convinced that she was okay. "Good luck."

Meiran watched for a moment as Wufei climbed up the bleachers and took his seat. Then she ran her eyes over the gathered crowd, her smile widening as she found Trowa. He hadn't gone far. He was sitting on the second level. She waved to him, then turned and sat with the other students who were trying out along with her. She sat there tapping her feet, drumming her fingers on the seat on either side of her, impatiently waiting for tryouts to begin.

----------

Trowa sat there on the bleachers, waiting and watching. Tryouts had begun almost an hour ago and things were just now starting to wind down. There had been a lot of people wanting a place on the team. Meiran was the only girl among them though. Still, she had to be one of the best ones out there. She hadn't lost even one of her practice matches.

He felt glad that Mr. Peacecraft allowed spectators to come watch and cheer on the people trying out. Trowa hadn't enjoyed watching any type of sport in so long. To actually know someone on a team, or a potential member, to be able to watch without feeling an ache of remorse, left him feeling more normal.

Mr. Peacecraft circled the mat where Meiran and some other boy were currently practicing, critically watching each and every move they made. Trowa didn't know the boy's name, nor did he care to know. He was only watching Meiran anyway. She easily slipped out of the hold the boy had tried on her. She was graceful and fast, pinning the boy with apparent ease. Trowa clapped along with the other students watching as Mr. Peacecraft declared Meiran the winner of the match.

"Okay, I think that's enough," Mr. Peacecraft announced, waving his arm in a gathering gesture. "I'll post my decision in ten minutes." With that, he turned and walked away, probably heading to his office.

It was well known that Mr. Peacecraft chose his team the same day as tryouts. He didn't like fretting over decisions, knowing who was good enough, or would be good enough with practice, the moment he saw their moves. In a few moments, he'd come back with a freshly printed page of paper, listing the new members of the school's wrestling team. Trowa could hardly wait to see Meiran's name among the others.

----------

Meiran could barely contain her excitement as she waited with the others. Several people that were also trying out had expressed their hope for her. They had seemed sincere and she had thanked them, wishing them good luck as well.

Her heart skipped a beat as Mr. Peacecraft returned, the innocent-looking sheet of paper held in one hand. Well, there it was. That simple piece of paper could crush her hopes or bring about great joy. Once she read it, she'd know for certain whether she was good enough for the team.

"Thank you all for coming," Mr. Peacecraft said. "You all did very well. The results will be posted on the board. For those of you who made the team, congratulations. The first practice will be held here tomorrow after school." Nothing more needed to be said, so nothing further was said. He simply went to the board that was set on the wall near the door and pinned the list up.

As soon as the tall blonde stepped aside, the students practically swarmed the board, Meiran included. She rushed over, pushing her way through the crowd of eager students until she was at the front. Her heart racing in excitement, she ran her finger down the list, searching out her own name. She bit her bottom lip, hoping, praying that she'd find it.

Michael Barrister, Joe Simmons, Peter McKinsey . . . Meiran Ling. There were other names after hers, but she didn't see them. Her finger stilled on the paper, her eyes widening as the breath caught in her throat. She'd done it. She had actually done it. A hand clapped on her back, a voice congratulating her, and she snapped to her senses, giving off an ecstatic yell as she spun and made her way back through the crowd.

She ran to the bleachers, certain that her smile would split her face apart. Wufei and Trowa both got up from their seats and began moving toward her.

"I did it!" she exclaimed, grabbing the first person to reach her side, Trowa, and hugging him enthusiastically, bouncing with her delight.

Trowa held her in return, his laughter in her ear. "That's wonderful," he said, patting her gently on the back.

It was then that a hand grasped her arm and roughly pulled her away from the tall teenager. She found herself facing a noticeably angry Wufei.

"I am happy that you succeeded," Wufei said curtly, then turned to cast a harsh and cold glare at Trowa. "But who is this and why did you hug him?"

This was the last thing Meiran needed to hear. Why did he have to tarnish this moment with his jealousy? Ever since they had started dating, Wufei had gotten overly possessive and this was the last straw. She just couldn't take his arrogant attitude anymore. Not when today was supposed to be a happy day. He had effectively ruined the moment for her and it just pissed her off.

"Wufei, I do not need this right now," Meiran growled, pulling her arm away from Wufei's grasp. "I am so sick and tired of you trying to run my life. I have friends. MALE friends that I enjoy hanging around with. And your constant sniping is getting on my nerves. You put me down when I told you I wanted to join the team. You get an attitude whenever I talk with other boys. I'm sick of your jealousy and your chauvinistic views on how women should behave and I just don't want to deal with it anymore. When you grow up, call me." She sighed, feeling tired as she gave her attention to Trowa. "Come on, Trowa. I'll walk you home."

"Yeah . . . okay," Trowa spoke quietly.

Leaving Wufei to think about what she'd said, Meiran walked over to the bleachers and picked up Trowa's bag. Then she left with Trowa, hoping that Wufei would realize how much she really did want them to be together.

To Be Continued . . .


	22. Part TwentyTwo

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. 

Notes: Catherine worries about Trowa even after he comes home.

Choices of the Heart

Part Twenty-Two

Catherine stared at the clock on the wall as she scrubbed the dish in her hand. True, she knew where Trowa was since Duo had called her before he had gone off to work. But she was still anxious and worried. 'He shouldn't watch tryouts! They'll just depress him!' She sighed and dipped the dish in the now-cold water and started scrubbing it yet again. She worried about whether or not Trowa would know enough to take it easy walking home, to not rush. But on the other hand, she wanted Trowa to hurry up and get home.

Then she heard the door open and she spun around as Trowa walked in. He looked somewhat flushed and it was obvious that he had perspired quite a bit. She quickly dried her hands off on a towel hanging near the sink and walked right up to her brother, pulling a thermometer from her shirt pocket as she approached him.

"Trowa, what on Earth were you doing that made you all flushed and sweaty?" she asked, though he was unable to answer her. As soon as he had opened his mouth, she had put the thermometer in. "Are you faint? Do you feel hungry?" She grabbed his shirt before he could protest and pulled it off of him. "Now, I want no arguments from you. You are going to take a bath and then go straight to bed and I'll bring your dinner in for you." She grabbed the button on his jeans and undid it. She had his fly unzipped and was about to yank his pants down when he let out a yelp of protest and pulled the thermometer from his mouth.

"CATHY! Quit it! This is embarrassing," he practically whined as he struggled against her a little, his one hand gripping the waistband of his jeans to hold them up.

That's when someone behind Trowa cleared their throat. "Umm, if this is a bad time, I can go home."

Catherine froze at the sound of the voice and looked past Trowa to see a teenage girl of Asian descent. She was blushing very brightly and making a point of staring straight down at the floor.

Catherine gasped and immediately released Trowa's pants. "Oh! Oh, hello. I'm sorry. I didn't know Trowa had brought someone home."

Trowa snorted softly, fastening his jeans again. "You never gave me a chance. I walked in the door and you were on me like a rabid dog." He walked over to the sink and pulled the dish from the water. He scrutinized the plate, then shook his head. "Didn't this dish used to have a design on it?"

Catherine blushed as she realized how she had been acting. "I'm sorry for going a little nuts, Trowa. But you're my little brother and I worry about you."

Trowa sighed and quickly rinsed the dish off, his hands shaking as he did so. He placed it on the small drying rack, then dried his hands off. "I understand, Catherine . . . really. And I do intend to change and relax until dinner. Just, not in front of Meiran. She'll explain what happened."

Catherine watched Trowa walk down the hall toward his room, then she turned to face Meiran. She cleared her throat and motioned to the small table that had been in the kitchen since she had been a little girl. "If you'd sit, I'll pour some hot water for tea, coffee or hot cocoa."

The girl, Meiran, shook her head a little. "Thank you, but a glass of water will be fine." She sat with a slightly embarrassed smile. As Catherine went to get two glasses of water, the young woman spoke. "I feel I should apologize. I had no control over the situation, but I feel that it's my fault that he's exerted himself the way he has. Some jocks were hassling me about my wanting to join the wrestling team. Trowa didn't fight any of them, but he did help me out of an awkward situation."

The sound of two doors opening and closing told Catherine that Trowa was now in the bathroom, probably taking a shower or a bath as Catherine had suggested. "How so?" Catherine asked, sitting across from Meiran and placing the glasses down.

"Well, tryouts for the team were held this afternoon. They tried to keep me from it by tying me to the flagpole up on the roof of the school. Trowa overheard them bragging and he came up and untied me."

Catherine couldn't help but feel alarmed. "The ROOF? He shouldn't be climbing the stairs! He could make his condition worse!"

Meiran sighed, her fingers idly fiddling with the glass of water set before her. "I didn't have any control over what was going on, or I would have stopped him."

Catherine felt guilty. "I didn't mean to sound as if I were blaming you for what happened, but . . . I worry about Trowa so much." Then she sighed and rubbed her fingers over her temple. "I worry about Duo, too. He tries so hard to make things easier for me. I just know he's running himself ragged."

"Wait a minute . . . Duo? As in Duo Maxwell? He lives here?" Meiran blinked.

Catherine nodded. "I guess you could say we kinda adopted him. Trowa found him out on the street, brought him home. He was so sick, and he had nowhere else to go. He doesn't talk about it much, but I gather his home life wasn't good at all." Catherine shook her head. "Listen to me, gossiping on like this. Duo really has been a lifesaver though. With the money he brings in from work and all the help he is with Trowa . . . I don't know what we'd do without him. I only wish he'd get it through his thick skull that he doesn't have to push himself so hard."

"Well, boys can be stubborn," Meiran shrugged. "But they can also be really sweet when you give them a chance."

Before either of them could say anything else, there was a soft clatter from the bathroom. Catherine immediately stopped what she was doing and ran down the hall to the bathroom so that she could help Trowa out should he need it. Not wanting to intrude in case he had just dropped something, Catherine knocked on the door politely. "Trowa, are you all right?"

When there was no answer, Catherine bit her lip in worry. She didn't want to barge in if there was really nothing wrong. But if he had hurt himself, or worse, Catherine knew she would never be able to forgive herself. So, taking a deep breath, she grabbed the doorknob and began to turn it.

"Trowa, I'm coming in," she announced, pushing the door open.

What she found inside stole her breath away.

Trowa was lying on the floor. She ran to his side, dropping to her knees next to him. In the background, she could hear the steady drip of the water falling from the shower, but paid no attention to it. Obviously, Trowa had just taken a quick shower to wash the sweat from his body, as he was wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers and his hair was still wet.

Carefully, she rolled him over onto his back and pressed her ear to his chest. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she heard the steady rhythm of his breathing, though his heart was anything but steady as usual. She pulled back, gently placing her hands on either side of his eerily pale face, worrying about him.

"Trowa? Are you okay? Please wake up," she said in a quiet rush, lightly slapping his cheek in an attempt to rouse him.

Trowa groaned, shaking his head sluggishly in an attempt to avoid her hand. His eyes fluttered, but he was obviously having difficulty opening them. "Cathy?" he asked, his voice a parched whisper.

"Trowa, it's okay. What's the last thing you remember?"

Her brother furrowed his brow, his eyes finally opening a fraction. "I just got out of the shower. I dried off. I was . . . I was drying off my hair and then the room started spinning. And the next thing I know, you're above me asking me questions."

Catherine smiled, brushing his damp hair back away from his face. "Another fainting spell. You had me worried. Does your head hurt at all? You feeling nauseous?"

Trowa shook his head. "I'm just tired, Cathy. Sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry."

"You always make me worry," Catherine replied, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Come on, up you go. I think it's time for you to get to bed."

Trowa didn't put up an argument as Catherine helped him up. After fainting, Trowa often had trouble getting his arms and legs to properly work, so Catherine took on the majority of his weight as she led him from the bathroom.

"Oh my, what happened?" Meiran's voice called. Catherine turned slightly, enough to see that the young girl had entered the hall.

Trowa muttered something under his breath, too low for even Catherine to hear. He hung his head, his eyes drooping tiredly.

"Trowa sometimes has fainting spells. Would you mind giving me a hand?"

"Sure," Meiran replied, moving forward quickly. She went around to Trowa's other side, taking his arm and placing it around her shoulders to help ease Catherine's burden.

Together, the two of them helped Trowa to his bedroom. They set him in bed, then Meiran stepped back and allowed Catherine to take over. Catherine went about her task without really thinking about it. She had grown accustomed to helping Trowa, this was really just instinctual now. She got him to lie back, smiling all the while as she tucked him into bed.

Then she turned to look at Meiran, casting the girl a grateful smile. "Thank you. Would you mind sitting with him while I get a cool compress? If I know him as well as I think I do, he's going to get a headache any minute now." She stood, waiting for the girl's answer.

Meiran nodded, wringing her hands together before she took Catherine's place at Trowa's side.

----------

Meiran bit her lip and gazed at Trowa as Catherine left the room. "I am so sorry. I know this was caused by you having to run up those stairs and I still feel like it's my fault."

Trowa, though pale, had a slight flush on his cheeks. "I'm the one who should apologize. I feel so embarrassed." He cleared his throat. "Actually, if it had been the stairs, I would have fainted before. I don't think this was caused by what happened at school. Just a random dizzy spell. I get them all the time."

Meiran grimaced at that. "That can't be fun. And it sounds pretty inconvenient, too."

Trowa yawned, his eyes slipping shut a bit. "Yeah . . . dying is an inconvenience."

Meiran was taken aback by his statement. She opened her mouth to reply, though she wasn't sure of what she could say in the least, when Catherine's voice rang out behind her.

"Trowa Barton, I don't ever want to hear you talking like that again," she chided, hastily walking around to the other side of the bed to sit beside Trowa. She gently placed a damp, cool washcloth over his forehead, a frown on her face as she regarded him. "There's no way in hell that I'd let you die . . . not after all the trouble you've put me through." She smiled gently, her fingers moving in a slow caress along his cheek.

Trowa's smile was faint, but it was there nonetheless. A moment later he closed his eyes, falling asleep. Meiran looked over at Catherine, worried for her newfound friend. "Is he going to be okay?"

Catherine nodded, running her hand along her brother's arm. "Yeah, he's just tired. He won't sleep for long, and when he does wake up he'll be hungry. So I'd better get dinner started." She rose to her feet, fiddling a little with the blankets and covering Trowa a bit more.

Meiran cleared her throat, feeling slightly nervous as she asked, "Umm, do you think it would be all right if I stayed a little while? I'd . . . well, I'd like to thank Trowa again for what he did for me today."

Catherine smiled. "Of course. I'll set a place for you for dinner. We rarely have the company, and I'm sure Trowa will appreciate having someone other than me to talk to for a change. Duo's almost always at work nowadays."

"Great. I'll just call my mom and let her know where I am," Meiran replied, then stood as well. "May I use your phone?"

"Sure. It's in the living room." She swept her hand outward in a gesture to the door. "I'll show you where it is."

Meiran left the room, casting a worried glance back at Trowa once before Catherine closed the door behind them. She hoped he'd be okay.

To Be Continued . . .


	23. Part TwentyThree

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. 

Notes: Quatre follows and confronts Duo.

Choices of the Heart

Part Twenty-Three

Quatre had kept as close an eye on Duo as he could for the rest of the school day. There had never seemed to be a good opportunity to privately confront Duo about what he had overheard and what he suspected. And there was no way he would embarrass Duo by asking Duo outright, or walking up to him in the middle of a crowded hallway to ask to talk to him in private. Duo didn't need the rumor mill talking about him behind his back. There was enough gossip going on about Quatre that if he openly talked with Duo outside of a class, it would probably spread out that Duo was screwing him or some other sordid trash that had no basis in reality.

So Quatre bided his time until the end of the school day. He was standing under a tree in the courtyard out front, watching as Duo approached a tall brunette. It looked like Trowa Barton.

Movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention and Quatre turned briefly, sighing as Rasid approached him. He smiled wanly at the large man, his concern for Duo still eating him up inside.

Rasid seemed to pick up on the blonde's mood. "Is something troubling you?" he asked, casually picking up Quatre's backpack as his eyes darted around the thinning crowd of departing students.

Quatre took a deep breath and glanced over to where Duo and Trowa were talking. Then he decided to tell Rasid a little of the truth. Not everything, but enough to explain his intentions for the afternoon. After all, there was no need for Rasid to know that Quatre suspected Duo was the thief from last night.

"I'm ... I'm worried about Duo," he said softly, nodding his head in gesture to the youth in question. "Would it be all right if we followed him for a little while?" He bit his lip, contemplating whether he should continue or not. He didn't want to mention the drug use, or that Duo had been the one that had broken into Quatre's home. Rasid would think less of Duo, and Quatre didn't want that. "I think he's in trouble."

Rasid's eyes hardened a little at first, in obvious disapproval. Then he softened his expression, shaking his head. "I don't see why we cannot follow him for a short while. It would be better to confront him though, talk to him and see if he even wants help."

Quatre nodded, not knowing what to say. He did want to talk with Duo about this. He knew he had to. But not here, not in front of Rasid. They needed privacy.

"Where's Heero?"

Quatre toward the school. "He has practice today. I'm glad, too, because I don't want him to get angry with Duo for something I don't think Duo can control." He ducked his head, embarrassed. "I just ... want to get the story straight and let Duo know he can come to me for anything." He looked up, watching as Duo began to walk away. "Now, if only I could get him alone somewhere. I disapprove of what I think he's been doing, but I respect him too much to talk to him about it in public. I mean ... what if I'm wrong?"

Rasid chuckled slightly. "It's good to see how kind-hearted you are."

Quatre flushed at the compliment, then shook his head. "If we're going to follow Duo, we'd better start now before he gets out of sight." He just really wanted to talk to his friend and reassure Duo that he wasn't even angry at him for the robbery last night. He was disappointed, yes, but he knew that sometimes people did foolish things when they were desperate.

They began walking, trailing the long-haired youth at a fair distance. Rasid set the pace, but Quatre found he could easily keep up with it. After a short while, he did get tired and short of breath, but Duo kept stopping so that helped the blonde keep going.

Following Duo gave Quatre a little bit more insight into the kind of person that Duo was. The brunette stopped several times along the way to wherever he was going. Once, to help an elderly woman regain her precarious hold on a bag of groceries, even going so far as to carry it to her doorstep for her. And another time, he just stopped to play a game with two children who looked as if they called the nearest refrigerator box their home. They knew him by name, so Quatre guessed this was something Duo did often.

It was difficult to reconcile this part of Duo's personality with the drug addict and suspected thief. However, Duo's actions along his path only solidified Quatre's resolve. Duo was obviously a good person who was probably just going through a difficult time. If Quatre offered help, maybe he'd take it and still want to be friends. Quatre could only hope so. He liked Duo too much to lose him.

Quatre knew Duo had reached his destination when Duo stopped in front of a pizza place. He recognized the name from the box Duo had brought with him that first night after he had been attacked. This was where Duo worked.

Duo stood there outside the restaurant, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath, then shook his head. An instant later, he opened his eyes and smiled. It was an act, one that Quatre could see right through, just as he saw that the bounce to his step was forced as he practically bounded into the pizza parlor.

Steeling his resolve, Quatre followed with Rasid close behind him. He pulled open the door and entered, catching the last of Duo's words as he entered the establishment.

"...so I'm fine. I'll just stay in the back and put the dough into pans so they can rise tonight. I'll even cut the day short, but I can't afford to skip out on the whole night. I need the money. Okay?" Duo was deftly stuffing his long braid into a hair net.

The elder gentleman - who was most likely his boss - looked far from happy. Worry was clearly written on every line of his face. Worry for Duo, not for how the customers would react to him.

Quatre swallowed and took a breath, unable to stop from trembling as he opened his mouth. "Duo? I need to speak with you privately for a few minutes ... please?"  
-----

Duo felt a wave of dread flow through him as he paused outside Howard's place. Howard was a cool guy and might even pay him for the day even if Duo didn't work. But there was no way Duo was going to make Howard pay him without earning each and every penny. So he took a deep breath and put on a smiling face as he forced himself to act happy. He bounced in with what he hoped was his usual energy and called out. "Heya, Howard! What's up?"

Howard blinked as Duo walked toward him, and then frowned in concern. "Kid, you should go back home and lie down. You don't look too good."

Duo waved his hand as if to brush Howard's concerns aside. "I had myself checked over at the hospital and I was cleared, so I'm just fine. I'll just stay in the back and put the dough into pans so they can rise tonight. I'll even cut the day short, but I can't afford to skip out on the whole night. I need the money. Okay?" He pulled a hairnet out of the box of hairnets under the counter and started the task of getting all his hair into it.

"Duo? I need to speak with you privately for a few minutes ... please?"

Duo froze at that gentle voice and slowly turned. 'Oh shit!' He swallowed nervously when he saw Quatre standing there. The fact that he could also see Rasid made him even more nervous. That guy just didn't portray anything but intimidation in his presence. Still, Quatre looked so earnest that Duo couldn't refuse. "Umm, sure. Howard, I don't suppose we could use your office for a bit?"

Howard simply motioned at him to go ahead before turning to Quatre. "See if you can talk him into going home. Even a half day is too much. Kid looks like something a cat won't even drag in." He shook his head, sparing Duo a brief glance. "He's been through enough these past few days and deserves a few days of rest." With that said, he walked away, grumbling about long-haired idiots who never did as they were told.

Duo gave Quatre a shaky smile as the blonde asked Rasid to wait for him outside. When he had Quatre's attention again, he gestured toward the office. "Umm, right over here. It's not big, but we can talk in private." He turned and led the way, wincing as he heard the definite click of the door closing behind him.

Quatre walked over, moving so that Duo was forced to look at him. He leaned on the desk, sighing. "Duo, you know you can come to me about anything, right? Friends ... friends help each other in times of need, don't they?"

Duo swallowed, his heart thumping in his chest. "I guess so," he mumbled. "I mean ... I don't really have all that much experience in that area."

The blonde made a soft sound of acknowledgement, as if accepting that reply. "And friends wouldn't lie to other friends, would they?"

A ball of ice dropped into his stomach, chilling him to the bone. "No."

Quatre was quiet for a moment. "Duo ... I'm going to ask you a few questions and if your answer is no, then I'll never ask again."

Duo swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

There was a pause before Quatre cleared his throat. "Are you taking drugs?"

Duo was almost relieved at the question, even though he knew that his answer would only disgust Quatre. He didn't have the will to deny it. "Yes," he answered simply. He looked up when Quatre's hand touched his arm. There was such sympathy in those beautiful eyes that Duo nearly wept.

Quatre smiled warmly. "I'll help you as much as I can, Duo. But there is one more thing I have to ask. I swear, if your answer is yes, then it will never be uttered by me outside of this room."

Duo felt he knew what was coming and his heart was hammering in his chest. "O-Okay." He was shaking. He couldn't stop himself. Sweat was steadily trickling down the sides of his face, dampening his forehead. He couldn't remember ever being so nervous about anything before in his life. Quatre would hate him now. He was certain of it.

Looking deeply into Duo's eyes, Quatre spoke. "Are you the thief who broke into my home last night?"

This was it. Life was over as he knew it. Quatre would hate him. He'd push Duo away and leave and never want to have anything to do with him again. He'd run off and tell Heero or Rasid ... maybe even Trowa. Then they'd all hate him and he'd have to leave again. He'd have nothing.

Tears welled in his eyes, spilling forth despite his efforts to hold them back. He could only manage a sickly nod before a welcoming darkness engulfed him, the brief sensation of falling as Quatre screamed his name in a voice that seemed to fade into the oblivion that overwhelmed Duo.

To Be Continued ...


	24. Part TwentyFour

_Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters._

_Notes: Quatre makes a decision. Heero gets pissed off._

* * *

**Choices of the Heart**

**Part Twenty-Four**

* * *

Quatre cried out in alarm as Duo collapsed to the floor. He hadn't meant to put so much stress on his friend, but he had needed to know the truth. He was disappointed in Duo, but he knew that he would have to hear Duo out before he made any judgment calls. People in desperate situations tended to throw common sense out the window and everything that had been stolen could easily be replaced.

He looked up as the door flew open to see both Rasid and the old man that Duo had called Howard standing there. "Rasid ... help him! We need to get him to a doctor." Quatre looked down at Duo, his own hands shaking with nervousness. He didn't want anything to happen to Duo. Duo was his friend, one of his very few friends left. Most of the others had all but abandoned him since the attack. Only Duo, Wufei and Meiran had bothered to contact him, to inquire about his health and even help out when he needed it. No one besides them and his family members showed such concern.

Duo mumbled a little as Rasid picked him up and settled him in a nearby chair. "No hospitals. No doctors."

Quatre blinked and looked to Rasid for help, but the taller man simply shrugged and returned his attention to Duo. Rasid set one large hand on Duo's cheek, tilting the teenager's chin up and frowning when a flow of blood quickly met his skin. He shifted Duo's hair aside with his free hand, exposing a jagged cut to the youth's forehead, just above his left eyebrow.

"We'd better take him home," Rasid stated. "Perhaps his family can convince him to seek medical attention."

Duo sluggishly pushed Rasid's hands away and tried to get up, only to collapse into the seat again. He shook his head, obviously trying to regain his composure. He still looked exhausted, but at least he was coherent now. "No. Cathy has her hands full. Trowa ... she's gotta take care of him. Not me. I'm not worth the trouble." He tried to get up again, this time succeeding in his efforts. He shoved past Quatre and staggered toward the door, where Howard stopped him with a single hand to his shoulder.

"Kid, you need help. You're hurt and you're hurting yourself even more by keeping up this brave front." He ran his hand along Duo's face, catching the brunette's tears with his thumb. "Let someone help you."

Duo's knees buckled, his legs giving way beneath him. He reached up, throwing his arms at Howard, if only to clasp onto something and collapsed against him, his choked sobs making Quatre's heart ache in sympathy. "God, Howard ... I can't take this any more. I'm so tired," the brunette whimpered, pressing his nose to the older man's boldly-colored shirt.

Howard's voice was full of warmth and understanding. "I know, kid," he said, his arms running up and down along Duo's slim back. "You've been taking so much onto your shoulders. It was only a matter of time before you started to feel the strain. You go on with your friend."

Quatre walked forward and placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. "Duo ... please let me help you. You're my friend and I hate to see you hurting like this." He bit back a gasp when Duo turned to him. Disbelief was written all over his face. "I mean that."

Duo whimpered and closed his eyes, slumping more heavily against Howard. "You have no idea how much of a relief that is."

Quatre smiled kindly. There would be time enough for them to have a heart-to-heart later. "Come on. You will always be welcome in my home."

Howard looked down at the youth with a sad frown. "Kid runs himself ragged. If I knew why, then maybe I could find a way to help him." He turned his attention to Quatre, even as he ran one hand up and down along Duo's back. "Look after him and try to help him. He's so proud and stubborn ... and such a low sense of self-worth. Kid doesn't even realize that every man and woman working here would gladly give their right arms to help him out of a jam."

Rasid came forward and took Duo into his arms, lifting him easily from the ground. Duo was limp in the large man's arms, clearly unconscious. Quatre had to wonder how long it had been since Duo had last had a sound sleep if it was so easy for him to pass out like this.

"Rasid, perhaps we'd better go. Duo will probably rest better in a comfortable bed." He turned to Howard and held out a hand. "Thank you, sir, for your use of this room and for your kindness toward my friend."

Howard waved that away with a smile. "That kid's like a son to me. If I knew what he needed, I'd help him in a heartbeat. Kid's too damn selfless for his own good."

Yes, from what Quatre had seen of Duo and his behavior, he knew that was the case. It was true that Duo had stolen from him and his family, but Quatre truly felt that Duo felt that he had no other options left open to him.

"I'll do what I can. But I can only do so much if he won't let me help him." He turned to Rasid, who was frowning worriedly at Duo. "We'd better get home."

With that said, he left the store, Rasid trailing close behind him.

* * *

**xxxxx**

* * *

Trowa blinked his eyes open at the feeling of someone gently shaking him. "Hm? Meiran? What's going on?"

Meiran blushed a little. "Catherine invited me to stay for dinner. It's just about done and I thought I'd come and wake you up."

Trowa groaned and sat up. "Thanks." He got to his feet and put on a robe before he walked into the kitchen where his place at the table was already set. "So, what's for dinner?"

Catherine started serving. "Chicken and rice with steamed broccoli." She'd just finished when the phone rang. "I'll get that. You two start without me." She walked over and picked up the phone as Meiran sat down and they started eating. "Hello?" Her pleasant smile turned into a bewildered expression. "Yes, I'm Catherine Bloom. Who is this?" Her eyes lit up and she smiled again. "Oh, hello, Mr. Winner. Duo's told me a lot about your son. How is he doing? If you're calling to talk to Duo, I'm sorry to say he's at work."

Trowa looked over in concern. He'd met Quatre once at lunch, but he seemed really nice.

"What?" Catherine frowned, her face showing more confusion and concern. "But why do you ..." Her face suddenly went pale. "I-I didn't know. Oh, my God, is he all right?"

Those words brought true fear into Trowa's heart. He loved Duo like a brother and the thought of something happening to that cheerful person hurt worse than the heart condition that was slowly killing him. "Cathy?"

"Oh! Excuse me!" Catherine cleared her throat and placed her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. "Duo's safe, Trowa. I'll tell you later. It's a family matter. Don't worry, he hasn't been attacked again." She turned her attention back to the phone. "Okay ... yes ... thank you so much for letting me know." She sighed and shook her head. "I have no idea." Then she smiled. "All right. Thank you again. Goodbye." She took a deep breath as she gently set the phone down. "Meiran, I don't mean to be rude, but-"

Meiran herself was pale was worry, half of her dinner still on the plate in front of her. "Is Duo alright?"

Catherine sat down and rubbed her head. "He will be. I hope. I'm terribly sorry."

Smiling, Meiran gathered up her books and shook her head. "No, I understand. I'm not really all that hungry right now anyway. Besides, I understand what it's like to get bad news about family."

Trowa looked on as his sister got up again and bustled around in the kitchen. In a moment she returned with a plastic container. "Here, no sense in letting this food go to waste." She quickly dished the rest of Meiran's food into the container, sealed it with a lid and handed it over to her. "Thank you, again, for seeing Trowa home safely."

The Chinese girl accepted the container. "It was nothing compared to the assistance he game me." She turned to Trowa. "I'll see you in school."

He didn't really hear her, but he waved anyway. "See you."

Once Meiran was gone, Catherine took a huge breath. "Duo is at Quatre's house. He's safe, which is the important thing."

Trowa nodded. "What's wrong?"

Catherine choked a little. "Duo's been ... taking drugs." Her eyes took on an anguished expression. "I knew he was taking a lot on himself with that job and helping me and keeping his grades up, but I never once thought-" She wiped at her eyes. "I feel like I should have noticed something."

Trowa felt as if the floor had been yanked out from under his chair. "Duo? No way. No. He always seemed to have it together." He didn't want to believe that his friend was taking drugs. But little by little, it began to make sense. There were somethings that had always seemed a little off. Nothing huge, but maybe they were signs that's he'd never thought to investigate. "What's going to happen to him?"

His sister knelt in front of his chair and set her hands on his knees. "Quatre and his father is going to see to it that he gets the help he needs. That's the important thing. He's going to get help."

While Trowa had to admit the truth of his sister's statement, it didn't negate the fact that he felt almost betrayed. Why hadn't Duo come to them? Didn't he know that they cared about him? No, that they loved him just as if he was their brother? Trowa would have done anything to have been the one to help. Was he that useless? More than ever, he hated his condition. If only he had been stronger, healthier, he would have been there when his best friend needed him.

Catherine seemed to see his distress and placed a hand on his arm. "I know. I wish he had come to us, too. All we can do right now is wait and support him when he comes home. I didn't know this about Duo, but I do know that he's going to expect us to turn our backs on him. We'll prove him wrong. We'll teach him that there are people out there who will love and accept him even when he makes a colossal mistake. Right?"

Trowa smiled a little at her. He couldn't help but feel better listening to his sister's words ... which made a lot of sense. "Right. If I see Quatre in school, I'll make sure he knows to tell Duo that we're here for him if he needs us, just like he's always there for us." He sat there and nodded, if only to himself. There was nothing more to be said. He only hoped that Duo would accept the help offered to him.

Practice had been quite productive as far as Heero was concerned as he walked to the door of his house. All in all it had been a good day. Then he opened the door and walked in to the sound of someone vomiting. He looked around and was surprised that his father was home so early. "What's going on?"

Although the question was asked at large, Quatre was the one who came in and answered, though he hadn't been in the room to hear the question. "Oh! Heero! Welcome home! Uhm ... Duo's here and he's not feeling too well." Over to the side where their father was on the phone, Rasid snorted lightly. In response, Quatre sighed. "Duo ... Duo has a problem and father agreed to see to it that he gets help." He looked so lost for a moment before shaking his head. "He's been so nice to me and he needs help."

Heero narrowed his eyes. "What kind of problem?"

Quatre bit his lip a moment as if he didn't want to answer before letting out a breath. "He's been ... he's been taking drugs."

He waited for the moment for Quatre to tell him he was joking, even though Heero knew it would never come. Anger started to stir within his heart. Something about Duo had pretty much always rubbed him the wrong way. "So ... we have a drug addict in our house? Why? I want him out and I want you to not have anything to do with him ever again."

Their father approached. "Heero, whether Duo leaves or stays is not up to you. Nor is it up to you to tell Quatre who his friends are. Duo is in a bad situation, but he's an otherwise good kid."

Heero clenched his fists in agitation, wanting to punch someone. "You're too trusting of this total stranger after what happened. We were just robbed and the LAST thing we need in this house is some druggie who will probably clean us out of everything else. Duo's been here many times before ... probably casing the place to get money for whatever it is he takes."

"Duo's NOT like that!" Quatre blushed as soon as he blurted it out ... meaning he had witnessed something. "If he were someone who stole things for a living, he wouldn't have his part time job."

"So what? He's a drug addict and that's bad news and I don't want him around you." Heero ran a hand through his hair. "You've already been hurt, and I hate to think of it happening again."

Quatre looked like he had swallowed something sour. "Duo wouldn't hurt me. He'd hurt himself first."

Far from being reassured, Heero snorted. "And taking drugs isn't hurting him?" He made a flippant sound and turned to walk away. "I'm going to my room. Call me when he's gone." His stepfather called out to him, but he didn't stop. He didn't want to hear it.

* * *

**To Be Continued ...**


End file.
